


White Room

by Kingscrown666



Category: Supernatural
Genre: ABO dynamics, Alpha Cas, Alpha rut, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Anal Sex, Biting, Blow Jobs, Conspiracy, Discussion of Abortion, Doctor's visit, Edging, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Knot, Knotting, M/M, Marking, Masturbation, Mating Bites, Mentions of Suicide, Minor Character Death, Mpreg, Omega Dean, Omega Heat, Oral Sex, Orgasm Denial, Rape/Non-con - Freeform, Rimming, Scenting, Top!Cas, although they don't know what the hell is happening, apparently i didn't, bottom!Dean, but again they have no clue what they're doing or why, depictions of violence, don't read 'em if you haven't caught up, graphic depictions of fruit consumption, i thought i added those last two before, mentions of past rape, seriously. tags contain spoilers, slick, so heads up, subdermal implants, suspicions of murder, taunting the victim, the following tags are possibly spoilers, they have no knowledge of heats and ruts, ultrasound, unprepped, unprotected sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-20
Updated: 2018-06-30
Packaged: 2019-03-07 06:02:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 15
Words: 76,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13428339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kingscrown666/pseuds/Kingscrown666
Summary: A man wakes up in a sterilized white room, with no clothes, no memory and no idea how he got there. The only thing he knows is his name: Dean. The room is bare and almost unbearably bright, but there's no discernible light source. He bangs on the walls, and shouts for someone to hear him, anyone. No one answers, and he soon decides the best thing he can do is wait. Then the far wall opens up and he runs for it, hoping to escape, but he doesn't expect to run full tilt into another man, who's just as naked, with the most stunning blue eyes Dean's ever seen.Then, they hear a voice and are given a single command: "MATE".





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I originally wrote this as a prompt in a Facebook group called Destiel Port: Prompts, Fanfictions, Writings, and such. I thought it was pretty awesome, so decided it would make a nice oneshot, sorta. Then I decided to just go ahead and write a full, chaptered fic out of it. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ Let's start a discussion about it in the comments. Let me know what ya think!

 

He has no memory of who he is. All he knows is that he's woken up in a completely bare and sterile white room. No doors or windows. The lights are nearly unbearably bright, but he can't tell where the light is coming from. There appears to be no bulbs anywhere in the enclosed space, just bare white walls, floor and ceiling. He runs his hands along the walls, looking for seams or panels or anything that might be a latch to let him out. He can't find anything, and to make matters worse: he's stark naked!

After a while, he decides maybe shouting will help. Perhaps someone will hear him and come to his rescue. So he screams and shouts and pounds on the walls, trying to make as much racket as he can. Every noise he makes just bounces back at him, and he can tell that the room is too well insulated to allow any noises to escape. Soon he just gives up and sinks onto the floor in a corner, his knees pulled up to his chest. He tries to take mental stock of himself.

He tries to think of the last thing he can remember before waking up in this room, but he just comes up blank. There's nothing! All he can remember is his name: Dean. But there's no other information associated with it. No last name. No middle name. Nothing. Does he have parents? Siblings? Where are they? Do they know he's missing? Worse yet, did they put him here?! No that can't possibly be it. He doesn't know how he knows, but he knows that, if he has a family, they couldn't possibly have done this to him.

After he accepts that there's no memories to help him, Dean decides to take stock of his body. He looks down at himself: two arms, legs, ten fingers and toes. He doesn't appear to have any tattoos or scars. He doesn't know exactly how old he is, but he can tell that he IS an adult. Come to think of it, what kind of adult has no visible marks anywhere on there body? What kind of a sheltered life has he led?

Upon further inspection, he notices something on his left forearm: it's three vertical dots, one above the other. But the odd thing is they appear to be underneath his skin; and weirder still - they're _glowing_! Not just glowing, but pulsating! The pale white lights were nearly invisible under his skin with the bright lights in the room nearly making him miss them altogether. He rubs a thumb over the little circles, trying to see if he can feel the subdermal implant(s), but he feels nothing. No bumps, no ridges, no pain or burning; and the skin on his arm is completely smooth. How can that be?

With frustration bubbling beneath his skin and pricking at the back of his neck, he lets out an angry growl and pounds the side of his fist on the wall beside him. That's when a loud hissing sound comes from the other side of the room. The previously smooth and seamless wall suddenly hisses open. He leaps up and quickly makes a bum's rush at the door, hoping to finally get out of this sterilized nightmare.

His hopes are quickly dashed when he collides with a solid chest and falls back on his bare ass. The chest makes a disgruntled 'oof' before its owner is slammed back into the now closed "door", and the wall is once again solid. Dean gets back up, letting loose another frustrated noise, and glares daggers are the new-comer. He's about to let out a string of profanity and accusations (cuz seriously, is this one of his captors?!), but his voice dies in his throat as piercing blue eyes bores into his. He's never seen anything like them.

"Who are you? Why the hell am I here?!" Blue-Eyes (as Dean has decided to dub him) demands after straightening back up. He has the graveliest, sexiest voice he's ever heard, like whiskey and chocolate. It was soothing and grating all at once, and the man himself was a sight to behold, and just as naked as Dean. He was all dark hair and lean muscle going all the way down to- nope, _no_ , he admonishes himself. Keep your eyes _above_ the guy's waist Dean! It wouldn't do to check the guy out and then get a boner when he's got literally _nothing_ to cover it with.

"Um," Dean says smartly, "well, I could ask you the same thing, fella."

Blue-Eyes narrows a glare at Dean before answering. "You're not one of the ones in charge here? You're not responsible for all..." he gestures vaguely around them, "this?"

Dean chuckles, "Dude, does it _look_ like I'm in charge of anything here?" he answers, gesturing to himself.

Blue-Eyes blushes a bit and averts his eyes, although there's nothing to avert them _to_ , except more bare walls. "I guess not," he admits. He seems to deflate a bit, suddenly looking like he doesn't know what else to do. He almost seems a bit defeated.

Dean nervously runs a hand over the back of his head before extending a hand out to Blue-Eyes. "I'm Dean," he says.

Blue-Eyes looks at Dean's hand, then back up to his face, as if he's not sure if he should take it. After just a few moments of deliberation, he accepts to proffered appendage in his own, giving a brief shake. "Castiel," he mumbles.

Well that's a mouthful. "Okay, Cas," Dean says, taking back his hand, "what do you remember before coming in here? Where'd you come from?"

"There was this... corridor," Castiel begins, jerking a thumb behind him. "I woke up in a chair at the end of it. I don't know how I got there. I stood up and looked around, but there was nothing. Just white all around, just like this room." Castiel indicates the room where they are now. Dean doesn't need to look; he's already seen it enough. Castiel continues, "I took a few steps away from the chair, but then it just... _disappears_! Like- just absorbed into the wall!" Castiel's eyes go wide for a moment as he remembers.

"Wow, seriously? That's some freaky shit there."

"It gets freakier. Every time I took a step, the wall just seemed to - to follow me! I took about a dozen steps, before I turned around and tried pushing at the wall, trying to get it to go back, but it wouldn't budge! I could only go in the one direction, so I just went there. I finally saw the end of the hall, but there was just an empty wall, no door no crevices, nothing! I thought I'd end up being squished between the two walls, but when I got to it, it opened up. I was so relieved that I wouldn't be crushed that I just stepped through it, and right into you! And that's all." Castiel finishes, looking at Dean expectantly.

"Yeah, sorry about that." He rubs the back of his head again, then goes into the explanation of his own experiences in this bizarro place. "When I saw that wall open up, I thought I was finally gonna get outta here, and I just got excited. I didn't even see you there until I was on my ass," he finishes his recounting and the two men just stare at each other for a few moments, neither of them sure what to do next.

"So... what now?" Cas asks, unsure.

"I guess we just... wait?"

Cas doesn't seem happy with that answer, but he apparently has no better suggestions so he just finds a corner and plops down. Dean does the same, going straight back to the same corner he was in before, knees pulled up to his chest, hands resting on his knees. He tries his damndest not to stare at the other man, who doesn't appear to be effected by his nudity at all. One of his legs is stretched out in front of him and his arm is resting on the knee of his other leg that just slightly bent. He looks relaxed- or as relaxed as one can be in a situation like this.

So all they can do is wait.

They wait and wait for what seems like hours, though neither of them really knows. They try to pass the time by simply talking to one another, but neither of them remembers their lives before all of this happened, so their conversation devolves in to mere speculation about what their captors could possibly want from them, and why they're here. Neither of them has any plausible explanations (although they do confirm that they each have similar dots on their arms), and eventually they just fall silent.

Dean is just getting ready to doze off from sheer boredom when he is sharply roused by an unpleasant burning sensation on his forearm. A hiss of pain from across the room confirms that Castiel is experiencing the same sensation. Dean looks down at his arm and notices that the three vertical dots of white light beneath his skin have shifted and changed colors. Now they are pulsing red lights in a triangle formation: two on top and one on the bottom. The burning quickly dies down, and he's left with a dull ache that can almost be ignored.

A quick conference with Cas confirms that the same thing has happened to the dots on his arm as well, except his triangle is in the formation of one on top and two on bottom. Dean briefly wonders if maybe they're supposed to be arrows or something, but what could they possibly be pointing to? He dismisses the thought as quickly as it came and looks at Cas, hoping maybe he has some sort of explanation, but the man is just as confused as he is, so they both let it go. Just chalk another one up for the weird-o-meter. They both sit back down again, with nothing better to do, in their respective corners.

Just a few minutes later, it feels like someone is gradually cranking up the heat. Dean starts to sweat a bit and he's getting uncomfortable in his own skin. A quick glance over at Castiel confirms that he seems just as sweaty. But Dean's eyes go wide when he notices the raging hard-on that Cas is obviously sporting. He knows he should look away, but he's having a hard time getting his eyes to do what he tells them to. That's when Cas glances his way, and suddenly his eyes go just as saucer wide as Dean's must be.

Dean is finally able to tear his eyes away from the other man and looks down at himself to figure out why Cas looks so shocked. His jaw nearly hits the floor when he notices that he's sporting a boner just as impressive as Cas's. When the hell did that happen?! Another quick glance up confirms that Cas is just now noticing his own rager and seems just as shocked.

"Okay, what the hell!" Dean manages to choke out.

"I.. don't know."

The next few minutes sees them trying as best as they can to hide their raging erections from each other, for nothing else except for the sake of modesty. It's just plain old _awkward_ to have a hard-on in a room with a strange guy, no matter what the situation. They soon give up the task as futile, especially since it just seems to be getting warmer by the minute, almost to unacceptable levels.

Then another burning sensation causes both of them to simultaneously grab their wrists and hiss in pain. This time they are met with an intense wave of arousal that has them both panting and gasping and fighting with themselves not to start jacking off with a stranger in the opposite corner. Before either of them could figure out what to do or how to handle this newest development to their situation, they were given a single, simple command.

The Voice was a calming and seemingly non-threatening, feminine voice. It spoke one word, and one word only:

- _MATE_ -

Dean and Castiel looked at each other, then up towards the ceiling, since that's where the disembodied Voice seemed to be coming from. They didn't see any speakers up there, not even any surveillance equipment, but where they being watched regardless?

Doesn't matter. Someone's communicating with them, so Dean's damn sure gonna communicate back. "HEY!" he shouts in between pants, "HEY, LET US OUT OF HERE!!!" However, they were simply met with the same command.

- _MATE_ -

"Well that's just not gonna happen, sweetheart!" Dean says back to the Voice. No sooner than the words leave his mouth, Dean is moving - but not of his own volition. There are suddenly what looks like /cuffs/ on both his wrists and ankles, glowing and pulsating with the same pale, white glow as the dots when he first discovered them. They are dragging him forwards, to the center of the room.

He struggles and shouts as his dots burn again, sending an even more intense wave of arousal coursing through his veins. The cuffs have forced him onto his back, his arms bracketing his head and his knees nearly touching his chest, while his rock hard cock dribbles precome onto his stomach. Through his haze of arousal, he realizes that he's been forced to present his bare ass to Castiel. He looks up and sees the man gasping and just staring at him, eyes wide, a sheen of sweat glistening on his skin in the bright room. He gives a small shake of his head. To his credit, he seems just as horrified of the situation as Dean is.

- _MATE_ -

When Castiel apparently takes too long to comply to the command, another searing hot pain jabs through the red dots on his arm and another wave of arousal overcomes him. But he refuses to move from his spot. So, much like Dean's, pulsating cuffs appear on his limbs as well, and they drag him into position over Dean.

His cock, which is also dribbling precome, is just barely touching Dean's hole. He's leaned over Dean, his hands braced on Dean's wrists, apparently holding him down, but he's not doing it on purpose.

"I'm sorry," Cas manages to get out. "I'm not doing this, I swear."

Dean is unable to respond. He's too shocked by the turn of events to even wrap his head around what is happening. His breathing is coming in sharp gasps, and his heart feels like it's relocated to his throat.

"I'm so sorry," Cas chokes out again. Slowly, Dean's hole, unprepped and lubed only by Cas's leaking precome, is breached by Cas and they both let out a strangled gasp and a moan as Cas's hips start rocking in and out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, sorry about that. This just sorta came to me and I just had to write it down. Let me know what you think.


	2. Chapter 2

“I'm so, so sorry,” Cas whispers, his hips starting to move faster as he fucks into Dean with less reserve, starting to lose the battle with his own will power.

“Stop... talking!” Dean grinds out between stifling his own groans. He tries not to pay attention to what's happening to him. He wants to find a happy place, but this room is all he knows. He still doesn't remember anything from before he woke up. So all he can do is stare at the ceiling while Cas pounds into him over, and over. The other man has thankfully dropped his head to Dean's shoulder, so at least he doesn't have to look the guy in the eyes and see that painful plea for forgiveness.

Intellectually, Dean knows that the other man is just as much a victim as he is: neither of them gave their consent, they were both literally forced into their current positions against their will; but that doesn't make Dean feel any better about what's happening. Especially since he is still _painfully_ aroused, despite everything.

Try as he might, he couldn't help but notice... everything. He noticed that he, thankfully, didn't feel any pain when Cas's (admittedly _large_ ) cock penetrated him. There was just a pleasant stretching sensation, but no pain. He assumed their captors had done something _else_ to his body to make that possible. He also noticed that Cas was nailing his prostate like it was his damn job; and most of all, he noticed his own cock, swollen and heavy, lying neglected against his stomach. It gave a little bob every time Cas thrusted inside of him, causing the tiniest bit of delicious friction to the head.

As much as he wanted to come, Dean still tried his best to hold back his own orgasm. He could feel it building, feel his balls start to draw up, feel the pressure in his stomach and the unbearable throbbing in his dick, all of it screaming for release. But he didn't wanna come like this: being forced to find pleasure on some stranger's dick, against his will.

But he could feel himself losing the battle.

He didn't want to admit it, but it did feel _really_ good. Just... _fuck_! Plus, Cas breathing so hot and heavy against his already overheated skin wasn't helping matters. It was all just too much: his prostate being nailed, the throbbing in his cock, the hot breath on his neck and even the show of dominance from Cas holding his wrists (and why the fuck was _that_ turning him on?!). Before he knew it, he was coming with a long, punched out groan, all over his stomach and chest. A little even made its way onto the other man.

Cas wasn't too far behind. He came with a gasp and a moan, filling Dean up with his seed before he finally stopped thrusting. His hips twitched forward a few more times, his dick pulsing just a few more spurts, before he stilled completely. He groaned in Dean's ear, sounding almost like a growl, before he shifted, attempting to dislodge himself from the man below him. Given the situation, he doubts Dean is going to want him to stay on top of him for much longer than necessary. And just as he predicted, Dean spoke up on the matter.

“Dude, you think you can get off me now?” Dean spoke quietly.

“I'm sorry, I'm trying to.” True to his word, Cas _was_ trying to get off of Dean, but he just couldn't budge. His hands remained where there were, clutched onto Dean's wrists; his dick also remained where it was, buried to the hilt inside of Dean's stretched and used hole.

“Well, try harder.” Dean thought that maybe bucking his hips would help dislodge the other man, so he planted his feet on the floor and tried, but it was no use. He tried rolling over; he tried sliding from underneath Cas; and he tried just plain old standing up, but nothing worked. He was trapped.

Cas, for his part, tried loosening his fingers from around Dean's wrists. He tried just sitting up or rolling over, but it was like his hands were glued to Dean and Dean was glued to the floor. Neither of them could budge. Cas even tried to throw his weight backwards, hoping that if he got some momentum it would dislodge to the two of them, but nothing worked.

After a few minutes of simultaneous struggling, the two gave up to exhaustion. Cas dropped his head back down to Dean's shoulder and the two of them just breathed against each other for the time being.

“So, now what?” Dean asked with only a minor huff.

“Well, I suppose we... wait?”

Dean huffed again, “Well how long do you think-”

“I don't know, Dean. I'm just as lost as you are,” Castiel interjected. He deftly kept his own frustration out of his voice. Dean was already upset, and he figured at least one of them should try keeping a cool head.

Dean huffed once more, but fell silent. All they can do was wait, so that's what they did. Neither of them were sure how long it took (maybe 20 minutes? 25?) before they were finally released.

They each breathed a sigh of relief when they were finally able to move again. Cas let go of Dean's wrists, and then gingerly extracted himself from Dean's hole. He was still hard, but he was quickly going limp once more, now that he was no longer sheathed. He stepped away from Dean and let the man stand up on his own.

Dean was thankful for that. He didn't want to be touched any more than necessary. He sat up into a sitting position, tentatively rubbing his wrists. They were a little sore, but he didn't think they would bruise. He noticed that the pulsating lights were back to their vertical white glows. Then he took stock of the rest of his body. He was covered in his own release from waist to chest, and there was some that was starting to leak from his ass. Gross. At least he wasn't really sore down there. That was something at least. He also didn't feel so overheated. Another plus.

He stood up and stretched, and resolutely avoided making eye contact with the other man, who was standing off in one corner with his arms crossed, staring down at the floor. Whatever. What would either of them say at the moment anyway? Dean sighed and shook his head. He just wished he could at least wash up. Maybe being clean would help him feel a little better. It wouldn't fix anything, but at least he'd be a bit more comfortable.

Dean moved to his own side of the room, as far away from Castiel as the limited space would allow. He paced a bit, all the while starting to feel itchy from the drying cum on his torso and dripping down his leg. He ran a hand through his hair, and closed his eyes. Taking and releasing a large breath, he laced his fingers together behind his head, and dropped his chin to his chest. Frustration bubbled beneath his skin, but it wouldn't do to lose his cool at the moment. So he just stood near the wall and breathed.

“Uh... Dean?”

“Not now, Cas!” Dean snapped. He was beginning to regain control of his temper, but Cas's voice wasn't helping matters. He just wanted to be left alone.

“Dean!” Cas demanded urgently.

“ _What_?!” Dean whirled around to face the other man, hands falling to his sides, and balling into fists.

Cas merely pointed to another corner of the room. Dean followed the indicated direction. His eyes bulged and his jaw dropped at what he was seeing. He has no memories of his life outside of this room, but he knows that _that_ isn't supposed to be possible.

“What in the hell...?” Dean inquired. Castiel merely shrugged, his eyes just as round as Dean's.

In one corner of the room, there was suddenly a source of running water. But this in and of itself would not be the cause for marvel. No, the astonishing thing about it was that the water was flowing _up_! It started as a relatively large pool in the floor. In the center, there was a thin, cone-shaped flow that gradually tapered upwards into a steady stream that disappeared into the ceiling. _Where_ it disappeared to was another mystery, since there was no hole or other opening for the water to disappear _to._

Dean and Cas looked at each other, then back towards the anomaly. It took a few moments for either of them to make a move. In the end, it was Cas who moved first. He took a few steps towards it. He paused just at the edge of the pool, then turned to Dean for encouragement. Dean simply gestured towards it, as if to say, “Well, get on with it!”

Cas took a deep breath to steady his nerves, then crouched down and tentatively dipped a couple of fingers in, just to see what would happen. What happened is that the water immediately turned from a crystal clear to a shimmering orange, like a sunset.

Startled, he jumped back, removing his digits from the stream, and inspecting his hand. There was nothing on it. Not even a few errant specks of water. His hand was completely dry, but it did seem a bit... cleaner? He glanced at Dean again, then back at the water. It had turned back into the crystal clear waters that were there to begin with.

It didn't _seem_ dangerous. So Cas decided to try going further in. He took a tentative step into the flowing water, causing it to turn the vibrant orange once more. Once both feet were planted firmly in the water and it was lapping at his ankles, he reached out and ran a hand through the upwards flowing spout. It had been completely silent before, but now, with the disturbance of his hand, there was a gentle splashing sound accompanying his moving limb.

“I think it's... a shower?” Cas announced, turning to Dean. The other man had edged closer to the anomaly, his arms crossed over his soiled chest, looking every inch like a petulant child.

“Are you sure?” Dean was still uneasy about it. Why the hell had that thing suddenly appeared? And right when he was wishing he could bathe!

“Pretty sure. It's warm,” Cas assured. But when Dean still looked unconvinced, he decided to take the risk and plunge the rest of the way in. Before he could think better of it, he placed his whole body in the path of the flow. In turn, the water immediately expanded to accommodate his girth, completely engulfing his body.

“Cas!” Dean explained, worried about the other man, despite himself. Well, even with everything that's happened, it's not like he _wanted_ to see the guy hurt, now did he? He uncrossed his arms, and took a few steps towards the water, stopping at the edge and peering into the flow. His fears were unfounded when Cas re-emerged a few seconds later, looking clean, dry and refreshed, and sporting a triumphant grin.

“I do believe it is safe, Dean. There is no need to worry.” Cas looked Dean up and down before kindly adding, “I'm sure you would like to clean yourself, correct?”

Dean looked down at himself, at his chest and stomach which had both become sticky from his own drying cum and he could still feel the cooling stream of Cas's release on his leg. He grimaced at the uncomfortable feelings and then nodded before stepping forward and around Cas, who vacated the pool to make room for Dean.

Taking a deep breath, Dean placed one foot into the pleasantly warm pool on the floor, but then froze. The water, instead of turning the fiery orange that he had been expecting, had turned a brilliant rose color. He turned an incredulous eye to Castiel, who looked just as flabbergasted as he did.

“What the hell, man?! Why do you get fire and I get _roses_?” When all Cas could provide was a helpless shrugged, Dean let out a long-suffering sigh and said, “Whatever,” and plunged right in. Just as it did with Cas, the water flow enlarged and engulfed Dean's frame. Dean had expected to need to hold his breath, but that was not necessary. Surprisingly, he could breath quite comfortably. It was unbelievably disconcerting to be breathing air (or and air substitute maybe?), when there is water all around him, but it allowed him to take his time.

He scrubbed his hands through his hair and then over his chest and stomach, dislodging the mess there so that it could be whipped away. Before scrubbing at his back side and legs, he chanced a glace in Cas's direction to make sure the man wasn't watching him. To his credit, Castiel was astutely staring at the wall on the other side of the room, respectfully giving Dean some semblance of privacy. Satisfied, Dean completed his washing, taking great care to clean a _certain_ crevice, then stepped out feeling better than he had since waking up.

“Do you feel better?” Castiel asked once Dean had stepped out.

“Uh- yeah, _much_ better. Thanks.” Dean ran a hand through his newly-cleaned hair nervously. Unsure what to do. “So, what now?”

“I- uh,” Cas huffed out a breath, “I don't know. I wish I could help you more, you know, considering. But I don't have any answers here.”

“Right,” Dean sighed. The whole situation was messed up. He kind of wanted to be friends with the guy, but it's kind of hard to reconcile the fact that he _did_ technically rape him. On the other hand, they only have each other in this crapfest; and it's not like Cas _wanted_ to rape him. He was being forced just as much as Dean was. Hell, the guy even _apologized_ to him, and it sounded like he was trying to hold back tears while he was doing it. So Cas couldn't be _all_ bad, right? Or not even a _little_ bad, for that matter.

Dean went to the far wall, furthest from the water (which had appeared along the same wall from which Cas had appeared) and placed his back against it, sliding down until he was seated on the floor, his knees pressed to his chest and his arms resting on his knees. Cas had already sat down against a wall of his own, to Dean's left, and he was staring straight ahead, not really looking at anything. As Dean looked at Cas, he heard a strange grumbling noise, immediately followed by a blush and an embarrassed look on Cas's face.

Dean chuckled, “Yeah, it'd be nice if we had some foo- _whoa_!” Dean was suddenly being slid forward from the wall behind him. He quickly scrambled to his feet and spun around to assess the new threat.

The lower portion of the wall was sliding out, creating a long shelf that was waist-high and roughly two feet deep. About a foot and a half above that, the rest of the wall sunk backwards about 8 inches, creating another smaller platform.

“Okay, what now?!” Dean demanded.

His answer came in the form of about a dozen or so mounds that suddenly appeared on each of the newly-formed platforms. They rose out of the milky white surfaces, seemingly made of the same material, but then the glossy whiteness fell away to reveal heaps and heaps of food piled onto silver platters.

“Oh!” Dean breathed, pleasantly surprised.

“Well, you _were_ saying you wanted food.” Cas had come to stand by Dean's side, though he kept a respectful distance from the other man. Both of them stared at the spread before them.

“Yeah, I heard your stomach growling from over here, dude.” Dean stated.

A contemplative look passed over Cas's face. He thought for a moment before saying, “Do you suppose the room is anticipating our needs?”

“How do you mean?” Dean asked, confusion written on his face.

“I mean, you were really wanting a shower earlier, right? I could tell you were feeling rather uncomfortable after... well you know,” Cas finished his sentence with a mumble, crossing his arms and studying his feet for a moment, seemingly ashamed of what had happened.

“I remember,” is all Dean provided as a response, though not unkindly.

“Well,” Cas said before clearing his throat. He looked back up before continuing. “You were wanting a way to clean up, and then a shower suddenly appeared. Well... a shower of _sorts_ ,” he gestured to the anomaly that was still flowing peacefully behind them, moving up from the floor and disappearing into the ceiling. “And now, my stomach growls, and before you can even fully mention food, a wall full of food appears out of nowhere.” He then gestures at the wall to illustrate his point. “I doubt the events are purely coincidental.”

“Hm,” Dean said thoughtfully. “Well, in that case... I wish we had a way out of here!” He exclaimed loudly, bending his arms up at the elbows and spreading his arms out, spinning around to face the rest of the room expectantly. When nothing happened he said, “Exit? Doorway? Open says me?”

“I believe it's 'open sesame'.”

Dean's arms dropped back to his sides, before he turned to look incredulously at Cas. “Yeah, well it was worth a try.”

“Well, I'm starving. Perhaps we should eat?” Cas suggested.

Despite the fact that they were both ravenously hungry (though Dean hadn't realized just _how_ hungry he was until he saw the smorgasbord), they were both still understandably wary of the mystery food that had suddenly appeared before them. There were platters of fruits and veggies, others piled high with burgers, boiled eggs, sausages, bacon, others had an assortment of breads and cheeses, and another was heaped full of miniature pies!

There were lots of other goodies, but the burgers and pies were what really got Dean's notice. He didn't remember ever eating pie, but he knew what it was and he knew that he liked it, a _lot_ , so that means he must have had it at some point... right? Nevertheless, the thought of biting into one of the flaky, gooey treats made his mouth water.

“Well,” Dean ventured, “if they wanted to kill us, do you think they'd wanna poison the food?”

“I highly doubt it. If they wanted us dead, then they would not have bothered with this entire scenario, inside this room, to begin with. I'm sure there are much more effective ways of executing someone.”

“I couldn't agree more!” Without further ado, Dean stepped forward and immediately dumped the rabbit food off of one of the platters, and then preceded to load it up with burgers and a few of those mini pies.

Cas, being a bit more sensible, also grabbed a few of the burgers, but he also piled a few of the neglected veggies onto his platter as well. The two of them settled onto the floor and tucked into their food. They sat side-by-side against one of the walls. They ate together in companionable silence, although still maintaining a respectful distance from one another.

Dean scarfed down two of the burgers before tucking into one of the pies, and was pleased when he got a mouth full of flaky, buttery crust and gooey cherry filling. The entire time he was eating he continually made little hums and other noises of enjoyment. Cas found it all quite endearing and had to stop himself from staring at the other man in open fascination.

“Alright,” Dean announced once he had eaten his fill. He set his platter aside before continuing, “Now how about something to drink?” he asked the room.

At first, nothing happened. Just when they were beginning to think that maybe the room would deny the request, another spout appeared, right next to the first. The major difference with this one however, was that it was flowing downward, like a normal spout of water should. Just like the first it was crystal clear, and it also disappeared, although this one disappeared into the floor, preventing a mess to occur.

“Well, that's convenient.” Dean stood and made his way over to the newest addition to their room. He stop within arms reach of it, then reach out a hand and tentatively ran his fingers under it. The water was cool, and actually wet! When he pulled his hand away, his fingers were glistening with residual droplets of water. What's more: the water didn't change colors like the first spout did when it was touched, which was a definite plus. Dean didn't think it would be particularly pleasant to drink pink water.

Satisfied, Dean stepped forward further, and placed himself directly below the flowing water, tilting his head back so that the thin stream poured directly into his waiting mouth. Once he had drank his fill, he stepped back, wiping the excess from his mouth. “Refreshing,” he announced.

By this time, Cas had eaten his fill from his own platter of food. He stood up, collected his and Deans mostly empty platters, and replaced them on the counters where they came from. Then, he went over to the newly-formed flow and drank his fill in the same fashion as Dean, tilting his head back to catch the water in his open mouth.

Cas sat back down on the floor against the wall where he was earlier. Dean remained standing, pacing a bit. What else was he gonna do? He considered eating some more, because why not? But he eyed the food warily then decided against it. He was far too full already. So he kept pacing, swiping at a tiny bead of sweat that had materialized on his temple.

“Dean, would you mind... you know... _stopping_?! You're making me nervous.”

Dean looked at Cas incredulously, but obliged and stopped his restless meandering about the room. He sat against the same wall as Cas, then immediately commenced jiggling his leg.

“Dean...” Cas said, a slight warning note to his voice.

“Dude, look, I don't wanna sit still okay. I gotta _do_ something! But there's nothing here _to_ do.”

“Crap!” Cas exclaimed.

“What?!”

“Well, I guess the room decided to provide us with a form of entertainment.”

“What do you mean?” Dean asked warily, brow knitting together in a frown of concern.

“I mean...” Cas trailed off, gesturing towards Dean's lower half.

Dean looked down at himself. “Aw, _crap_!” Little Dean was standing at full attention. How did he not notice that?! Upon further inspection, Dean saw that Cas was at full mast as well, although it looked like the other man had already discovered that fact, since he seemed to be inspecting it.

A cursory glance at his wrist confirmed that the three vertical dots had indeed repositioned themselves into the arrowhead shape, with the single dot on the bottom, just like before. He had no doubt that Cas was in a similar state. He let out a huff and cursed under his breath when he noticed that he _did_ seem to be getting warmer, as another bead of sweat began trickling down his face. He swiped it away angrily.

“Dean.”

Dean ignored the other man, trying to calm his breathing which had decided to double in speed in the last few seconds. He had also resumed his pacing. Their captors were most likely going to force them together again any minute now.

“ _Dean._..” the other man finally paused to swing around and fix Cas with a pointed glare. Cas ignored the fierce gaze and continued. “We're going to have to...”

“But, I mean... _again_?”

“Yes. Also, I believe that if we do not comply, then we will most likely be forced, similarly to how we were last time.”

Dean groaned, but he knew Castiel was right. He just had to wrap his head around it. He was still uncomfortable with the idea, even though they've already done it once before. But, he supposed it could be worse: he could have been forced into this thing with a disgusting creep. At least Cas was pretty attractive. Okay who was he kidding? The guy was gorgeous!! And he didn't seem like a total asshole; he actually seemed pretty considerate.

“Dean...” Cas began again. He was standing now, slowly inching his way across the space. “We need to-”

_-MATE-_

Right on queue, the voice made itself known, giving its soothing command.

“Yes. That.” Cas deadpanned.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realize that the tense changes a few times as I write this, but I just write how a feel at the moment, and I'm sorry if that bothers anyone. I hope it didn't ruin the story too much for you guys. However, I will try to keep it to one tense in the future.


	3. Chapter 3

Dean was still frozen to his spot. Cas continued his advancement until he was standing close enough to touch the other man. Once in position, he reached out one tentative hand and gently caressed Dean's arm. To his credit, Dean barely flinched, and he didn't immediately pull away.

Encouraged by Dean's reaction – or lack thereof – Cas stepped further into Dean's space, placing his free hand on Dean's other arm. He figured if he did this slowly, then maybe it'll be less stressful for the other man. Maybe a bit of intimacy will make the whole ordeal seem like less of a violation.

Cas gently tugged down Dean until they were both kneeling on the floor, facing each other. Cas's thumbs rubbed mall, soothing circles into Dean's shoulders. He met the other man's eyes before slowing moving forwards, drawing their faces closer together.

_-MATE-_

The command came again. They were both aware that they were only given three warnings the first time around, before they were forced into position. Neither of them wanted that, so all thoughts of moving slowly were thrown out of the proverbial window and they picked up the pace.

Dean placed one hand on Cas's waist, and the other gripped the back of his head, pulling him in for a bruising kiss. Cas returned it will fervor, their teeth clacking and tongues battling for dominance. Cas pushed the other man down until he was lying on his back. Without breaking contact, he climbed on top, slotting his legs between Dean's and causing their erections to slide against each other.

Dean bucked up into the touch, seeking more of that delicious friction on his leaking cock. Their hands roamed as they moaned into each other's mouth. Cas's hand found Dean's throbbing erection, and he gave it a few strokes, causing a whimper to escape Dean's mouth. Around that time a delicious scent met Cas's nostrils.

Dean broke the kiss momentarily to ask, with his voice full of confusion and incredulity, “Why the hell is my ass leaking?!”

Knowing that they didn't have much time before the third warning was issued, Cas said, “We can worry about that later.” Cas inhaled deeply. “Mmm, but you smell like _berries._ ” He growled into Dean's neck before licking a stripe up his collarbone, tasting him, then clamping his mouth over the pulse point on Dean's neck.

Dean moaned as Cas sucked a mark into his flesh, and he didn't even notice that Cas had shifted, placing his own painfully hard member at his wet and waiting entrance. They simultaneously expelled loud and filthy moans as Cas buried himself to the hilt in Dean's hole in one long thrust.

“You okay?” Cas asked, drawing back just enough to look Dean in the eyes.

Dean nodded, “Yeah. M'good.” To prove his point, Dean once again grabbed the back of Cas's head and brought him back down to meet his lips. They exchanged a few wet kisses before Dean spoke up saying, “I'm gonna need you to start moving now.”

Cas obliged, drawing his cock back out until he had almost completely withdrew from Dean's tight and wet heat, and then snapping his hips forward burying himself once again. They both moaned filthily as Cas set the pace, the heat building in between them causing a thin sheen of sweat to form on their conjoined bodies as they moved together. Cas fucked into Dean, and Dean bucked hips up to meet each of Cas's thrusts.

Luckily, they never heard the third command. So since they weren't being forced into position, they were free to allow their hands to roam at will. One of Dean's hands remained fisted into Cas's dark trusses, holding him in place, while the other caressed its way up and down Cas's back, his side and stomach, trying to reach as much flesh as he could. He took particular delight when he found the firm and plump mound of Cas's ass cheek. He gave a few hearty squeezes before moving on.

Cas reached down with one hand, stroking the side of Dean's thigh before hooking his fingers around the back of his knee and hiking his leg up and over his back. Dean took the hint and wrapped both of his legs around Cas back. Once that was done, Cas continued slowly stroking Dean's hard and leaking member, eliciting a litany of gasps and moans from the man beneath him. Periodically, he would pause and stroke his thumb over the tip, smearing precum over the head.

His mouth found Dean's neck again, and he continued sucking bruises into the heated flesh. He dragged his teeth over Dean's most sensitive spots, and had to restrain himself from sinking his teeth into the delicious and tender flesh, even though everything in him was screaming to just  _do it_ ! He resisted, but the denial of his own desire caused something in him to break. He gradually started to fuck into Dean much harder and faster than before.

“Ah, _fuck_!” Dean screamed as Cas not only changed his speed, but his angle, causing his dick to ram into his prostate without mercy. Dean's back arched off the floor as he tried to get more. Just... _more_! More pressure on his insides. More friction on his dick. He instinctually tilted his head to the side, giving Cas more room because he wanted more of _whatever_ it was Cas was doing to him.

Cas abandoned Dean's weeping and throbbing cock and wrapped both of his arms around Dean's body, drawing him impossibly closer as he breathed in Dean's scent of berries and honey that made his mouth water and made his teeth itch for a bite. Still he resisted because he didn't want to hurt Dean.

He could feel Dean's his hole, which was drenched and stretched so beautifully around his cock, fluttering around the intrusion and clenching down on the member as it dragged in and out at a punishing speed. His dick seemed to be growing impossibly larger as a bulbous swelling at the base suddenly formed, catching on the rim of Dean's tightening ass and binding them together as they each screamed and grunted out their release. Dean once again painted their chests a milky white as his orgasm crashed over him.

The stayed still for a few moments before either of them spoke. Just breathing and trying to get their raging heartbeats under control, while exchanging a few languid kisses on lips, necks and shoulders. Cas was still battling his inexplicable urge to sink his teeth into Dean's flesh, particularly the bit where his shoulder and neck meet. It didn't help that, for some reason, Dean now had his face buried in the crook of Cas's neck as well, breathing deeply.

Dean would still periodically tilt his head to the side whenever Cas's attention strayed to Dean's neck, giving Cas more room as if he knew what Cas wanted to do.  _Did_ he know? Would Dean be okay with that? Should he do it? Wouldn't it hurt him? Cas's internal struggle was interrupted, however, when Dean finally spoke up.

“Dude, you smell _really_ good all of a sudden.” To punctuate his point, Dean nuzzled even further into Cas's neck. “Like... oak? And...” another sniff, “Oak and cinnamon.”

“Hmmm. And you smell like berries and honey. It's _quite_ intoxicating. I don't know why I didn't notice before.”

“I dunno. Prolly the same reason I didn't notice yours.” Dean sniffed at Cas again before something dawned on him. “Dude, why'd I gotta smell all fruity?” he asked petulantly. “I get the girly water colors earlier, now the fruity smell. What the hell?”

Cas smiled and chuckled at the indignantly pouting man beneath him. He felt the urge to bite fading so he thought it was safe to bare his teeth in a wider grin. “Well it's not like it's a bad thing. I really like how you smell.”

Dean scoffed, but a pink tinge creeped up his neck and stained his cheeks.

“Ah! And maybe that's why your water is pink. The color _does_ suit you!”

“Oh shut it!” Dean demanded playfully. They both chuckled in a friendly manner for a few moments before Dean asked, “Can you get off of me or what?”

Cas gave his hips a little test wiggle before giving a small sigh. “No. Looks like we're stuck together again.”

“Ugh, what the hell, dude?” Dean exclaimed in exasperation. “Well... at least we can move a bit more than we could before.”

“Yes, although maybe they kept us bound together the first time to prepare us for this. So that we'd be accustomed to being bound after we 'mate'.”

“Yeah, maybe. My question is _why_ though? Why do we gotta stay tied together after?”

Cas though for a moment before he let out a tiny sigh. “I don't know, Dean. I wish I did so I could give you some answers, but I just don't know.”

“Yeah, I know. It's just frustrating.”

“It is,” Cas agreed.

They fell silent for a the remainder of the time they had left. Finally the newly-formed mass at the base of Cas's cock shrunk enough that he was able to dislodge from Dean with a wet  _pop_ , and they were able to get a better look before the swelling went down completely.

“Does... does it hurt?” Dean asked, unable to take his eyes off of the oddity that had just _come out of him_.

Cas touched the bulbous - and slightly purple - swelling gingerly with his index and middle finer, but then immediately let out a sharp gasp as his hips involuntarily jerked forward.

“You okay?” Dean asked, voice full of concern.

“Yes, I'm fine. And no, it doesn't _hurt_ , but it is rather _sensitive._ Hopefully some of the sensitivity will wear off with time.”

Dean just kept staring at the swelling. The attention started making Cas uncomfortable, so he tried covering himself. He's sure Dean finds the growth disgusting, or displeasing at the least. He started shifting his legs so his dick fell further between his legs and started moving his hands so they covered most of it, but Dean stopped him.

“Wait,” he said. Cas paused, looking at Dean with a question on his face. “I... I kinda like it.” The questioning expression left Cas's face, replaced with open surprise before Dean continued. “Just... you know... you don't gotta hide it, or whatever.” Dean blushed again, and he was getting really tired of his cheeks flaming dammit! He turned ducked his head, trying to hide his burning cheeks, and ran a hand over the back of his head.

Cas smiled and stopped hiding himself. With his head down, it provided Dean a wonderful view of Cas's dick. It was still slightly swollen at the base, and he had softened, but he still looked a  _lot_ bigger than before. Was a larger dick another side effect that went along with the swelling? And why did he like it so much? 

It was actually taking a small amount of self control to keep himself from caressing the other man's package. Dean sighed and shook his head, trying to clear it of thoughts he felt he shouldn't be having. Touching Cas would most likely cause the other man some discomfort, since he  _did_ say it was sensitive. 

“Add another question to the list. Along with this one: why the hell did my ass start leaking?” Before Cas could respond, Dean provided his own answer. “I mean, I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be some sorta lube, but why the hell am I makin' my own _lube_?! Outta my _ass_!”

“Well...”

“What?”

“I mean, think about it. When women are aroused, they produce their own lubrication to make sex easier and more satisfying, right?” Cas supplied.

“Yeah, but I'm not a chick,” Dean pointed out.

“True, but our captors, these beings, or whoever they are, have paired you with another man. And they obviously want you to _receive_ me, if past experiences – not to mention the dots – are any indication.”

“Man, how do you _know_ that anyway?” 

Cas just shrugged. “I'm not sure. Maybe it's just some memories from before all this? Like how we each know our names; and we know the words for everything, like...” he gazed around looking for examples, “'burgers' or... 'shower' or... 'sex'?” he finished with a shrug.

Dean nodded, seemingly understanding before he caught on to everything Cas had just said. “Wait, what do you mean about the dots? You know what these things are about?” Dean asked, waving his wrist.

“I have a theory, yes.”

“Well share with the class, man.”

“When it's time for us to 'mate', the dots on our wrists turn red and rearrange themselves into a triangular pattern, correct?”

“Right, I'm with ya.”

“Well, my triangle appears to point up, while yours points down. I believe they are meant to indicate out sexual positions: I've been designated as the 'top' and you are the 'bottom'.”

Dean looked disbelieving. “So you're saying if I were to ride you, the arrows would switch positions or something? Like mine would point up, and yours down?”

Cas chuckled. “No. If I'm entering you, I'd still be the top and you'd still be the bottom, regardless of who's  _on_ top.”

“Right. So if I entered _you_ , would they change then?”

Cas looked thoughtful for a moment before answering, “I don't know. As I've said, it's only a theory. I  _could_ be wrong.”

“Huh. Well this has been fascinating an all, but I need a shower now,” Dean announced, hauling himself up and making his way towards the swirling pool and odd little flow.

“Um,” Cas started, but then stopped himself before he could finish his thought.

Dean still heard him, however, and stopped a few feet from the water, turning back around to face Cas. “Yeah?”

Cas took a breath and opened his mouth, as if he were going to speak, but then clamped his mouth shut once again, looking away and shaking his head in a signal of dismissal.

“Dude, just spit it out.”

Cas looked up again, meeting Dean's eyes and seeing nothing but open curiosity and kindness. “Well, I was wondering if maybe we could... shower together?”

Cas had mumbled the last bit, but Dean still heard him nevertheless. “Oh!” Dean said. That was surprising. And the thought  _was_ quite intriguing.

Cas, mistaking Dean's answer and following silence to be negative, began to backpedal for his life. “You know, I mean, we don't have to. I know we just- well, just forget I said anything. It was stupi-”

“Cas, shut up,” Dean commanded, and Cas immediately complied. “That actually sounds kinda fun.”

Cas's face lit up as he looked back at Dean. He had lowered his head and his face looked like he was in pain when he thought Dean was rejecting him, but now he looked like he had been given the world's greatest gift.

“Well? You gonna just sit there, or you gonna get in here?” Dean asked, nodding his head towards the shower.

Cas didn't need to be told twice. He jumped up and met Dean across the room. He took Dean's hand and they both stepped into the pool at the same time. They were engulfed in the swirling waters together and watched for a minute as the surrounding vortex pulsed back and forth from Cas's flaming orange to Dean's soft rose, before it finally settled on a deep purple color.

Cas smiled and Dean just shrugged before they drew closer together, stepping into each other's arms. They ran their hands over each other's bodies, using the excuse of “cleaning” to touch and caress and stroke every inch they could reach; and they continued to touch each other long after the evidence of their latest releases had been whisked up and away in the flowing stream.

Neither of them were trying to start up anything again – they'd both just come twice in the past few hours. Rest was what they needed. For the moment, they were just exploring each other's bodies. The lean, tone muscles of Cas's arms, back, stomach, legs. The tanned skin and firm hardness of Dean's body as well, along with the smattering of freckles that littered literally every inch of the man. Cas found them cute and unbelievably endearing, and he found himself mapping out constellations with is fingers and lips, making the slightly larger man chuckle in response when Cas reached his stomach (Dean would resolutely deny that he had actually  _giggled_ then).

Some time later, when both of them were clean, dry and pleasantly drowsy, they stepped back out of the flow. It shank back to its normal size and faded back to its base color of crystal clear as the two stepped away from it. They paused when they spotted a new addition to the room. There was a cylinder in the floor, parallel to the food wall (which had been cleared of the uneaten food). It was about 3.5 feet in length and was just as white as the rest of the room. Glancing at each other, the two of them took a few steps forward to inspect the object, but stumbled slightly as the texture of the floor suddenly changed.

It abruptly went from firm and solid, to squishy and unsteady. Letting out a surprised yelp and a curse respectively, Cas and Dean jumped back and stared at the floor accusingly. “Oh what now?!” Dean demanded in a voice that did nothing to belie his exhaustion and incredulity in equal amounts.

Cas, who merely looked confused, studied the floor a little closer. The spot they had stepped on didn't seem to look any different than the rest of the floor. When they jumped back, they had once again landed on solid ground, so the squishiness seemed to be localized to a single area. Cas took a tentative step forward, and sure enough, the floor sunk in around his foot once more. Slowly, Cas put more and more of his weight on the portion of the floor until his entire weight was resting on it. When we was confidant that he wouldn't be swallowed up by it, he put his other foot on the floor as well, giving a cautionary bounce.

“It... doesn't _seem_ dangerous,” Cas confirmed, looking back at Dean who was watching the proceedings warily with his arms crossed over his chest.

“What _is_ it though?”

Cas cautiously walked the around the squishy area, testing the boundaries and seeing how far it went. It didn't seem _too_ large, there was still plenty of room between its edges and the walls. After a few moments, Dean, who deemed it safe enough to join in, made his way over to Cas. He had to hold out his arms for a few steps to catch himself from falling, but once he regained his balance he confidently strode around the area, bouncing playfully here and there.

“You think maybe it's a bed?”

“Maybe,” Cas answered. It surely _seemed_ like a bed – one that was sunk into the floor, instead of raised like a conventional bed. It was about the same area as a queen-sized mattress, and upon further inspection, the long cylinder appeared to be a large pillow. Large enough for two. It was certainly squishy like a pillow. Just as squishy as the rest of the area.

Without further preamble, Dean plopped himself down on the 'bed', resting his head on the pillow with a satisfied groan. “God! It's like sleeping on a marshmallow!”

Cas took the spot next to Dean, who seemed to already be dozing, letting out a small moan of his own as he sunk into the 'mattress'.

“Crap!” Dean exclaimed.

“What is it?” Cas rolled his head to one side in order to get a look at Dean, who still had his eyes closed, but with a disgruntled expression resting on his features.

“I've gotta use the damn bathroom,” Dean huffed petulantly. “And I just got comfy!”

Cas suppressed a chuckle. The other man could be downright adorable at times. “Now that you mention it...” Cas trailed off, sighing looking back up at the ceiling.

“What, you gotta go now too?” Now it was Dean's turn to roll his head to the side and get a look at Cas.

“We might as well ask the room for something to help out with that.”

“Yeah, might as well.” With a less satisfied groan this time, Dean sat back up and addressed the room. “Hey, um, how about a toilet, oh _great_ room of ours?” They waited a few moments, looking around the space for a toilet – or its weirdo equivalent - to magically appear somewhere. When it became apparent that nothing was going to happen, Dean tried again. “Hello? Toilet? Loo? How about a bucket? A freaking hole in the ground?! _Something_!” After each request the waited, but nothing ever appeared. “Well, son of a bitch.” He huffed again before saying, “Well what now?”

Cas was silent for a few moments before he answered. “Perhaps the room has already provided us with all we'll need in that regard.”

“What the hell are ya talking about? I see nothing here we can use to- _oohhh_!”

“Yep.”

They both simultaneously looked over to their shower. The flowing weirdness would definitely whisk away anything that they decided to deposit into it, bodily speaking, at least.

“Well I don't like that idea at all,” Dean announced, frowning.

“I doubt we have any other choice.”

“I know, I know. But that doesn't mean I've gotta like it.”

“Noted. Now, who's going first?”

After very little discussion, they both decided that Cas, as usual, would be the first to test out the thing. Dean lied back and closed his eyes for a few minutes, giving Cas a bit of privacy while he did his business. It wasn't too long before he felt on side of the bed dip down with Cas's weight and Dean opened his eyes just as Cas lied back down. Sighing, he got up and went over to the flow.

He looked over his shoulder at Cas to make sure his eyes were closed. He didn't think the guy would watch him, but he just wanted to make sure before he stepped into the pool. Once inside, he relieved himself and then watched in disgust as his waste was whisked away.

“Nope, definitely don't like that,” Dean announced as he lied back down next to Cas.

“Well, it _is_ effective.”

“Hm.” They lied together in silence for a few minutes before Dean said, “It's gonna be hard to sleep with the room so bri-” Before he could finish his sentence the room suddenly dimmed. It didn't get completely dark, but it did dull to a warm glow that was dark enough to get some rest, but still light enough that they could get up and move about without stumbling around. “Well that's better.” Dean took a deep breath and relaxed back on to the bed and closed his eyes after surveying the new light settings.

“Hey, Dean?” Cas asked a few minutes later. Dean didn't answer at first, all that met Cas's ears was the deep rhythmic breathing of a person who was fast asleep. He figured he should just let Dean sleep, instead of bothering him with his silly request that would probably get denied. He knew it was selfish, but he couldn't help himself. He called out again, rolling his head to the side once more to get a look at the man. “Dean...”

“Mmm,” Dean stirred slightly, but didn't rouse.

Cas reached over gently placed his hand on Dean's. The slight contact is all it took to get the other man to wake, turning his beautiful emerald greens onto him.

Dean blinked slowly and drowsily asked, “Yeah, what's up Cas?”

Now that Dean was awake, Cas once again lost his nerve. His voice caught in his throat and all that came out was a shaky, “Umm.”

“What is it?” Dean asked, turning onto his side, his brows knitted in concern.

Cas's brilliant azure met Dean's deep emerald and saw nothing but concern and trust, such a contrast from the suspicion, distrust and even slight fear he saw there mere hours ago. Feeling emboldened by this, Cas found his voice, though it was still tenuous. “I was wondering, um, if we could, I mean if you don't mind-”

“Cas,” Dean huffed out, giving the twittery man a sleepy smirk, “just spit it out man.”

Cas took a deep breath before continuing, “Would you mind if we slept... together?”

“Dude, we're already sleeping together.” Dean motioned around them, gesturing at the bed they were lying on.

Cas turned on his side as well now, fully facing Dean so he had a better look at his face, all the better to gauge his expression. “I don't mean that. I mean, can we, you know, sleep... closer? Like... _together_ closer.”

“ _Oh_!” Dean said, his eyebrows flying towards his hairline in sudden understanding. After a moment, his smirk widened into a full, wide grin. “Sure, Cas. That'd be fine.” Cas's eyes lit up even brighter than they did when Dean agreed to shower together. “So... how do you wanna...?” Dean trailed off, letting Cas figure it out.

“Well, can I... hold you? Like turn around and... you know... nestle back into me?”

“You wanna spoon?”

Cas nodded vigorously. “Yes. Spoon. Is- is that okay?”

Dean found it really sweet that Cas was so concerned with his comfort. They'd had a really rocky start. At first he didn't even want Cas to touch him – at all – but something had changed drastically. Maybe their captives were pumping some sort of mind-altering chemicals in to the air. Or injecting hormones into them through the subdermal implants. Whatever it was, he could deny Cas this simple request. Hell, at this point he would gladly do anything Cas told him to do, question or not. And _that_ should really concern him, but right now it doesn't.

“Sure, Cas. I'll be your little spoon.” He chuckled at the gleeful look on Cas's face before he turned over and snuggled back into Cas, letting the other man wrap an arm around him and pull him closer.

Cas immediately buried his nose into Dean's neck and scented the rich berries and honey wafting from the spot. He moaned deeply and instantly relaxed before quickly falling asleep. Dean stayed awake for a few more minutes, likewise smelling Cas's oak and cinnamon scent that was coming from behind him, before he too fell into a deep sleep.

It would be hours before they noticed the increase in heat, and the repeated stiffening of their cocks.

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> He guys, I'm so sorry this chapter IS suuuper short, but I promise the next chapter will be MUCH longer!
> 
> Also, I'm really sorry it took so long to get this very short chapter posted. I wanted to get Chapter 5 written before I posted this one, and Chapter 5 IS much longer. It took me a while to write it cuz, well you know how Death always comes in threes? Well, that's what I've been dealing with. My great-grandmother, then a family friend/neighbor and finally the son of ANOTHER family friend. It's been a ridiculous couple of weeks. Funerals and lawyers and cops, oh my! So again, sorry this took so long.

When Dean woke, hours later, it was to a stifling heat that made it nearly impossible for him to breathe.

Dean was panting and sweaty. The places where Cas's body came in contact with his were on fire. He rolled over to face the other man, causing Cas's arm to fall from his side, his breathing loud in his own ears. As he shifted, a wetness gushed from his backside, wetting his buttocks and thighs. “Cas...” Dean called. Cas was still sleeping, but his breathing was just as ragged as Dean's, maybe even a little worse. When he didn't rouse at Dean's first call, Dean shouted louder, this time shaking the man by the shoulder. “Cas!”

Castiel breathed in a loud gasp as he woke, his eyes flaring wide and feral as he looked at Dean with a ravenous hunger. “Dean...” he growled out.

“Fuck... Cas...” The look on Cas's face just _did_ something to Dean, causing his ass to gush out a fresh wave of slick and his already painfully stiff cock to twitch and stiffen even further.

The scent of fresh berries-and-honey slick caused Castiel to lose the small amount of control he had over himself, and he pounced, pinning Dean beneath him with his weight. He devoured Dean's mouth, dominating it and forcing his tongue inside to lick and taste every inch of it. His hips thrusted of their own volition, causing their erections to slide together deliciously, eliciting a filthy groan from both men.

Dean reached up and twined his fingers through Cas's hair, pulling the man's head impossibly closer and mashing their lips together even harder. Cas growled again and grabbed Dean's hands, slamming them above his head and then pinning them to the bed by his wrists. Dean whimpered at the show of dominance and thrusted his hips upwards to get more friction to his engorged cock.

“Cas...” Dean whined as Cas broke the kiss to bury his face in Dean's neck, greedily inhaling his intoxicating aroma. “Cas, I need- _ah_ -” he was briefly cut off as Cas nipped at his collarbone, “I need you to fuck me. _Please_!"

And how could Cas deny anything to this man when he begged so beautifully? Dean spread his legs, and without a word, Cas reached down with one hand, lining himself up with Dean's drenched and waiting hole before pushing in, burying himself to the hilt in one long, glorious thrust. Once fully seated he immediately started up a fast pace, unable to control himself from pounding in to Dean's deliciously tight heat. He let out a feral growl when Dean's errant hand started roaming again, even though the naughty appendage was _supposed_ to be pinned above his head where he'd left it. Cas quickly rectified the situation though, once again placing his hand on Dean's wrist and slamming it in place along side its mate above his head.

Dean whimpered again, unbelievably turned on by being dominated, as he arched into Cas's body, needing more contact against his heated skin. His neglected and swollen cock was soon squished between their bodies as Cas obliged and pressed his body against Dean's as best he could. He continued to brutally rock his hips and pound into Dean with near animal-like fury. A slight shift in angle and Cas was pinging Dean's prostate without mercy, causing the man beneath him to throw his head back unleash a desperate moan.

Dean's exposed neck, the show of submission, was too much to for Cas to resist. He just _had_ to have a proper taste. He dropped his head down to Dean's throat, kissing and licking every inch, occasionally nipping and eliciting even more of those delicious sounds from the other man, as he sniffed out the best spot. When reached the area where Dean's neck met his shoulder, he knew he'd found it. Dean even rolled his head to the side to give him more room. That clinched it for him.

Without even thinking about it – _unable_ to think about it – Cas sank his teeth deeply into the tender flesh. The sudden painpleasure caused Dean to buck and writhe beneath him as he was forced over the edge, screaming as he spilled waves of hot cum all over their chests and stomachs. Dean's hole clenched brutally around Cas's cock, his knot popping and spilling his own seed deep inside Dean as they were locked together once more. Cas held on to Dean's neck, his teeth remained buried in the tender flesh as they rode out their orgasms.

As they came down from their respective highs, Cas finally released Dean's neck and began leisurely lapping at the wound, cleaning it as best he could, occasionally pressing a gentle kiss to it, as if he wanted to kiss away the pain. He released Dean's wrists and wrapped his arms around him. Dean just lied there, accepting the care and tenderness that Cas wished to give him. Since his hands were free, he decided to allow them to roam. One of them ended up tangled in Cas's hair once again, and the other was lazily trailing up and down Cas's back. It was a few minutes before Dean finally spoke up.

“Cas?”

Cas stiffened slightly for a moment before answering. He suddenly realized that he should have at least asked permission before he did something like that, but he just couldn't _think._ It's like all of his senses had left him. What if Dean was pissed at him again? What if he had really hurt him? “Yes, Dean?” Cas finally answered. But his fears were once again unfounded as Dean spoke.

“I suddenly _really_ wanna bite _you_ now.” It was said in a near whisper, and if they hadn't been so close, Cas was sure he wouldn't have heard.

Cas's brain short-circuited for a moment before he found his voice again. “Really?”

“Yeah... Can I-”

“Yes!” Cas pulled away for a moment to look Dean in the eyes before he lowered himself back down, tilting his head to on side, giving Dean better access. He gently planted kisses on Dean's shoulder as he waited.

The urge to bite, to mark, was not nearly as strong in Dean as it had been in Cas, but it was still there nonetheless. Demanding and persistent. Once he had access to Cas's exposed neck and shoulder, he didn't clamp down right away. Instead, he sniffed out the proper place, scenting out Cas's oak and cinnamon aroma. Once he found the right spot, he licked and kissed the area for a few moments before finally sinking his teeth into Cas's bared flesh.

The accompanying painpleasure caused Cas to involuntarily thrust his hips forward again as another pulse of cum was rocketed out of his cock, which was still buried to the hilt in Dean's tight hole. He groaned and ground his hips against Dean, making his knot rub up against Dean's prostate and forcing another orgasm from him as well. He moaned against Cas's neck, clamping down into his flesh even harder, as a few more ropes of cum coated their conjoined bodies.

It was another few minutes before they each came down from their post-orgasmic highs, still panting and releasing small moans. Dean unclamped his teeth from Cas and began leisurely lapping at the wound, cleaning it and planting tender kisses to it, much like how Cas treated _his_ bite. It just seemed like the right thing to do. The whole situation just seemed instinctual, like they didn't even have to think about any of it: the respective shows of dominance and submission; the marking and cleansing, seeming almost ritualistic.

“Do you have any idea about what _any_ of that was about?” Dean asked Cas between kisses and licks, after their breathing had calmed down.

“I have no clue,” Cas answered as he continued lavishing kisses to Dean's neck and shoulder as well, “but _fuck_ was it intense!”

“You're tellin' me!” Dean relied with a chuckle. They continued exchanging kisses, on their necks and their shoulders, before gradually shifting back to each other's lips. They languidly explored each other's mouths for a while before a thought struck Dean. “Wait,” he said, breaking the kiss and pulling back to look Cas in the eyes.

“What is it?”

“Did...” Dean stopped and thought for a moment, his brows knitting. “Did you ever hear that voice? The one telling us to 'mate'?”

After a moment of thought, Cas answered, “No. I didn't.” Cas then shifted slightly to get a look at his wrist. Noticing what Cas was doing, Dean did the same. They both saw that each of their implants were displaying the three vertical dots, still pale and pulsing in the still-dim light of the room. “Did our wrists ever change?”

“I dunno.” Had their wrists displayed the red triangular patterns and then changed back once they'd finished, without them noticing? Had they not changed at all? If they hadn't changed at all then does that mean...? “Dude... did we do all that on our own?”

“It appears so, but... why?”

“Dude, why is _any_ of this happening?!”

“Yes. You have a point.”

It didn't take much longer for Cas's swelling to go down enough for him to withdraw from Dean's used and leaking hole. Once they were separated, Cas stood up, reaching back down to help Dean stand as well. Once they were both vertical, Dean gently ran his fingers over the mark he left in Cas's skin, admiring his handiwork, as Cas apparently did the same. A smile slowly spread its way across both of their faces until they were grinning at each other like idiots.

“These make me _very_ happy,” Cas announced, still smiling.

“Me too.” Dean took a few more moments to admire Cas's marked shoulder before he looked down at their chests, noticing the mess there and wrinkling his nose. Looking back up he said, “Well, how about a shower?”

Cas chuckled softly, “Sounds like a good idea.” Cas sniffed at Dean a bit. “Hmm, you smell differ-”

_-MATING COMPLETED-_

“What the hell-” Dean began. He and Cas exchanged a look before looking around the room as if, after everything, they still figured they could locate the source of the voice.

_-MATING COMPLETED-_

The voice repeated.

_-PHASE ONE: SUCCESS-_

_-PHASE TWO: INITIATED-_

“Phase... wha-” but Dean wasn't able to complete his sentence. “Cas?” Cas looked over as a fearful look contorted Dean's face. He wobbled where he stood and seemed to lose his footing.

“Dean!” Cas put his arms around the other man just as Dean lost his balance, and was able to lower him to the floor. “Dean?! Dean are you-”

“Cas, I-” And then there was nothing. Dean's eyes closed as he went limp in Cas's arms and moved no more.

“Dean!” He lied Dean down on the floor and caressed his cheeks and patted his face, calling his name over and over, but Dean stayed lifeless. Cas began to panic as he shook Dean's shoulders and screamed his name, trying to rouse him, but still there was nothing. No response. “Dean! Please! Don't... don't...” Cas stammered as he suddenly felt a fog descending on his mind.

His limbs felt heavy and he wobbled where he knelt, much like Dean had done moments before. He fell over, sprawled next to the other man. As his vision failed, the last thing he saw was his arm, slung protectively over Dean's chest, and the thin, bluish circle where the dots used to be.

Then, all he knew was darkness

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, major cliffhanger!! I'm so evil .. *Maniacal laughter*


	5. Chapter 5

It could have been hours later, it could have been days, or maybe even just a few minutes. Either way it  _felt_ like it had been  _weeks_ . Weeks of darkness and panic and nothing else. No awareness of his surroundings, or lack thereof. No knowledge of the movements or the sounds that had surrounded him during his 'unconscious' state. No, he wouldn't call it that exactly, though he wasn't fully conscious either. More like in a suspended state from which he couldn't escape.

When he did regain control of his motor functions and his senses had returned to him fully, the first and only thing he could think of was, “Dean?!” He called the name into the room but was met with no reply. “Dean!” he called again, but still nothing. He stood on wobbly legs, and took a few steps forward, towards the closest wall to help steady himself. He'd  _definitely_ been out longer than a few minutes.

“Y-your mate's not here.”

Cas spun around to face the source of the unfamiliar voice. He saw a small figure hunched over in the corner. He was a skinny, frail-looking thing, who was just as naked as Cas was, with his knees drawn up to his chest and his arms wrapped around his shins. The size and apparent frailty of the little guy meant nothing to Cas in that moment, however. All he knew was that Dean was gone, possibly hurt, and  _this_ person seemed to have answers. Maybe  _he_ was responsible for all this!

His fury affording him strength and stability, Cas strode over to the corner that the small person occupied. “What do you mean? Where is he! Where. Is.  _Dean_ ?!?!” He loomed over the young man who immediately cowered even further into the corner, making himself look impossibly smaller.

“I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I dunno. I _swear_!” He had flung his arms over his head in an instinctual effort to protect himself from the older man's fury. He began to sob slightly repeating the same thing over and over. “I'm sorry, don't hurt me. I swear I don't _know._ Don't hurt me, please.”

An acrid smell wafted up and Cas wrinkled his nose at it. Wait... was that...  _fear_ ? Was Cas smelling the boy's fear? If so then, if the strength of the scent was any indication, the young man was  _terrified._ Terrified of Cas. How was he smelling this kid's  _fear_ ? And if that's the case, could the kid smell Cas's rage?

Some of Cas's senses returned to him at the knowledge that he'd scared the boy so badly. He took a deep breath to steady himself, breathing through his mouth, to avoid breathing in anymore of the scent of fear. Once he felt he was calm enough, he knelt down in front of the small, sobbing creature in the corner and spoke to him as softly and reassuringly as possible.

“Hey, hey now. I'm sorry for yelling, okay? I'm just worried about my... my mate? Is that what you called him?”

At the calming words that were coming out in a tone that was less than a roar, the young man lowered his arms from around his head and looked at the tall man standing before him. He sniffled once more before tentatively nodding.

“Alright, do you know where he is?”

A shake of the head this time.

“Well then, do you know where _we_ are?” Cas indicated the room they were in. It appeared to be the same as the room he shared with Dean, but this one was much plainer, if that were possible. Where Dean and Cas had personalized their room with their requests for water, food, a place to shower, even a bed to sleep on (though neither of them remembered having requested that last one) _this_ room had none of that.

Another shake of the head.

“Okay...” Cas decided to try a different tact. He settled down in front of the young man, crossing his legs in what he hoped was a non-threatening manner. “Maybe you could tell me your name?” He asked once he was seated properly. When no answer was given, Cas offered, “My name is Castiel.” He hoped the prompt would get the boy to un-clam up.

After a moment of consideration, he finally offered up, “A-Alfie.”

“Alfie,” Cas repeated with a nod to his head. “It's very nice to meet you.” He slowly offered his hand to the other person, and waited patiently for him to take it.

Alfie seemed to consider the offer for a few moments, before finally accepting the proffered appendage. Once they'd shaken hands, Alfie withdrew his quickly, placing both his arms around his shins once again.

“Is there anything that you _can_ tell me, Alfie?”

Alfie eyed the other man, still a bit wary, but he offered up an answer nonetheless. “I... I can tell you that you're not the first one.”

Cas furrowed his brow in confusion at that. “The first one? The first one to what?”

“The first... Alpha. You're not the first Alpha they've sent in.”

“Alpha? What do you mean, Alfie?”

“Like you. You're an Alpha,” Alfie responded, as if that fact should have been obvious. When Cas still looked confused, Alfie continued. “Alphas are largely characterized by their strength and short tempers. Physical characteristics include a knot at the base of the penis and the ability to bond with and impregnate a mate.” Alfie finished as if reciting from a textbook.

That just opened up a whole slew of other questions, but first things first. “How do you know all this?”

“I- I don't know. I just... _know._ Ya know?”

Cas nodded slowly. “I...  _think_ so? So no one ever  _told_ you this stuff? Or you didn't figure it out somehow? You just...  _know_ it?”

Alfie nodded in response.

“Hmm.” Cas thought for a moment before he asked, “What are we supposed to be doing here? Do you know?”

In response, Alfie merely blushed. The pinkish red hue stained his cheeks and ears, spilling down to his chest, as he clammed up again. He looked away from the larger man then, refusing to meet his eyes again. “You'll find out.”

Well that doesn't sound ominous at all, now does it? “I don't like the sound of that, Alfie.”

Alfie just shrugged. When no other response was forthcoming, Cas tried asking a different question. Then another. But Alfie had shut down and refused to say another word.

Heaving a sigh, Cas decided that maybe Alfie had had enough. Figuring that the smaller man might need some space, he got up and found his own corner to sit in. He leaned back against the wall, one leg drawn up to his chest, the other sprawled out in front of him. “I'm right over here if you decide you wanna talk some more.” He was met with further silence.

Cas suppressed the urge to scream at Alfie again, since that tactic was wholly unsuccessful the first time around and he doubted that it would work if he tried it a second time. Also, he just remembered, he could pick up on Alfie's distress, so he had to calm himself down, just in case Alfie could register his emotions as well. It was hard though. Every time he tried to calm down, he would just remember that he had no idea where Dean was or if his mate was even okay.

“Your mate's fine.”

Cas was startled out of his reverie by the unexpected declaration. “What? How did you-”

“I can smell your distress. I'm guessing it's because of your mate?”

Well that answered one question. “Yes. I _am_ worried about him. Can you tell me where he is?” If Alfie was willing to talk again, Cas surely wasn't going to waste the opportunity. Just as Alfie opened his mouth to give some sort of response, they were interrupted by a familiar, yet unwelcome, command:

- _MATE_ -

“What?!” Cas asked loudly and incredulously.

“Now you're going to find out why you're here.” Alfie sighed as he unfolded himself from his drawn up position in his corner, and slowly made his way to the center of the room. Cas could see that he was fully erect and now that he was paying attention, he could tell that the smaller man was covered in a thin sheen of sweat as well. He didn't need to see Alfie's wrist to know that there was a red arrow on it, and that it was pointing down.

“No,” Cas insisted. “No, no, _no_!” He shook his head vigorously in denial of the whole situation. 

As Cas vehemently refused to accept the command, Alfie positioned himself on the floor, facing away from Castiel. He placed his face and the floor, his hands bracketing his head, and his rear end high in the air. His puckered and glistening hole presented clearly for Castiel to see. And smell.

Cas detected the scent of the young man's slick from his position halfway across the room. The scent of roses and apricots; much different from Dean's berries and honey. It was an attractive scent, but it wasn't  _Dean's,_ and Cas couldn't get over that fact. Despite knowing this, he still felt the heat beginning to prickle underneath his own skin, and he glanced down at his wrist to confirm whether the subdermal implant was pulsing its red, glowing arrow.

It wasn't.

This pulled Cas up short. Why was he responding this way if he wasn't being forced to? What the hell was wrong with him? This guy wasn't  _Dean._ Not his mate. Cas wanted his  _mate_ !

- _MATE_ -

“NO!” Cas howled at the disembodied voice. He refused to obey. They would have to force him because he simply would _not_ comply to this willingly!

“I am ready for you, Alpha.” Alfie sounded dazed and robotic.

“Alfie, you can't really want this! I won't do it. I won't!”

“None of that matters. We each have our roles to fill. So, I am ready for you, Alpha.” The boy had begun to breath harder than before and his blush had returned with a fury. He was flushed all the way from his face to his thighs, which had become slick from the moisture gliding from his still-waiting hole, apparently attempting to entice the Alpha to come closer.

“Alfie... No!” Cas pressed himself further into the wall. Maybe if he was strong enough he could resist the pull when their captors decided to force him onto Alfie, the same as when they forced him to mount Dean during their first encounter.

Dean...

Cas hates that that was how they met. He would give anything to take all of that back. To not have caused his mate such distress - though they weren't mates at the time. Just strangers thrown into a crappy situation together. But he couldn't change any of that. He couldn't even  _see_ the other man to whom he'd grown so attached. He just  _had_ to find some way of getting back to him. But first.. first he had to endure...  _this_ !

- _MATE_ \- 

There it was. The third warning. It was around this time that he was forced onto Dean; when they had refused to comply to the command to 'mate'. It was inevitable that it would happen again, here with Alfie, so Cas waited. He braced himself against the wall even firmer, waiting for the pull. The invisible force that would make him mount the other man against his will.

But it never came.

After a few minutes, Cas began to relax. His muscles, which had tensed up to the point where they were nearly cramping, loosened a fraction. He was still wary though. He didn't want to relax completely, in case they were just trying to catch him off guard before forcing him into position. He waited a few more minutes before moving or talking again, just to be sure that he and Alfie were both safe.

When he was finally sure that nothing was going to happen, Cas spoke to Alfie again. “Alfie, put your ass down, and get up.”

At the commanding tone, Alfie immediately complied. “Yes, Alpha.” He dropped his hips into a crouching position, raising his head, before pushing himself up and standing in the middle of the room. He turned to face Castiel.

A thought crossed Cas's mind and he asked, “Let me see your wrist.”

Alfie obeyed, raising both of his hands at the elbows and turning his wrists over so Cas could see them both. Sure enough, his left arm contained the three red dots that were pulsing just beneath his skin. But as Cas watched, the dots shifted from the red triangular shape, back to the pale vertical line. When that happened, Alfie's breathing returned to normal, his sweat began to dry on his skin, and the smell of his slick began to fade – although it didn't disappear altogether. It was simply drying on his ass and thighs.

“Okay. Thank you Alfie. You can put them down now.” Alfie complied, then just stood there, apparently waiting for another command. This Alfie was much different from the frightened and withering thing he was introduced to. Did the command to 'mate' change something in him? “Alfie, are you okay?”

The question seemed to startle the young man. He visibly flinched and blinked several times before focusing on Castiel's face for the first time since the command was issued. “Y-yes?” He looked confused momentarily before he continued. “I'm fine. Thank you?”

He still seemed confused. Was the boy not used to being shown any sort of consideration? Well, that was going to change now. Cas could see that Alfie was still covered in his own drying sweat and slick, and he was sure that he'd like to clean himself. “So, would you like to take a...  _shower_ ?” He stressed the last word, hoping that the room would pick up on the request and provide them with a means of washing themselves.

“Um... yes.” His shoulders, which had begun to relax, stiffened once again. “A shower would be nice, thank you.” Alfie had seemed to gain a bit of himself back after Cas asked him if he was alright, but now the robotic facade was back in place.

Okay what the hell happened? The thought crossed Cas's mind, but before he got a chance to comment on the change in Alfie's demeanor, the room provided them with the requested shower. It appeared in the corner to the left of where Cas was still sitting. The silently swirling water flowing upwards, just like before.

Castiel stood up and crossed the room. As he passed Alfie, he said, “Get cleaned up, and we can talk some more after.” Cas continued his walk until he reached the other side of the room, where he faced the wall, and didn't turn back around.

Alfie had gotten even stiffer as Cas approached him, his shoulders drawing up and nearly touching his ears, but he didn't move from the spot. Once Castiel passed him however - giving the command to shower without even touching him - Alfie followed the larger man with his eyes, until he stopped in the corner on the other side of the room.

“You – you're not going to... to join me?” Alfie stammered out the question, confusion clear in his voice.

Cas turned his head to look at the younger man, his brow knit. “No, Alfie. I will  _not_ be joining you. Just get cleaned up, okay.” He faced the wall before he spoke again. “And I won't look while you do. I promise.”

“You're much different from the other Alphas.” Alfie sounded even more confused than before, but also a bit... relieved?

“I'll take that as a complement.” Cas didn't hear anything else from Alfie, but he did hear the tell-tale sounds of the water begin disturbed as Alfie entered the pool. True to his word, he did not peek at all while the young man cleaned himself. He instead compiled a mental list of questions he had for him when they would talk again.

It was about time he got some answers.

 

~*~*~*~

 

He remembered Cas calling his name. The other man sounded near panic and Dean wanted to call back to him, let him know that he was okay. But he couldn't move, couldn't speak, and soon even the sound of Cas's voice faded away and he was left with nothing but silence. All he was aware of was the sense that he needed to get back. He couldn't leave Cas that way, sounding so lost and scared. But try as he might, he just couldn't wake back up. Or, wait, was he even asleep? He's pretty sure he wouldn't be quite so aware if he were asleep.

Whatever the case he just  _ had _ to snap out of it. He struggled as best as he could, trying to open his eyes, trying to move his limbs, he even tried to shout on multiple occasions, just  _anything_ that would help. But of course nothing did. He was trapped inside his own mind, unable to feel, hear or see anything.

Just as he decided to give up and resign himself to whatever fate had in store for him, that's when he finally became aware of sensation. He could feel the floor beneath his body again. What's more, he could move his arms and legs. He stretched an arm out to the side, immediately searching for Cas, to comfort him and let him know that he was okay. But he felt nothing there. He sniffed the air, and couldn't detect the oak and cinnamon scent that he'd just begun to associate with comfort and a sense of  _home._

Cas was gone.

All he could smell was smoke and ash.

Finally his eyes flew open and he lungs began to work overtime. “Cas!” He called out, and quickly tried to stand and assess the situation. Where could Cas be? As he tried to stand he immediately fell right back down onto the floor as the room began to spin. “Ugh..” He groaned and regarded the shifting room with a withering eye.

That's when he noticed: he was no longer in  _his_ room!

As his vision slowly cleared and the room finally decided to stay put, he was better able to take in his surroundings. The place looked  _much_ different from the same space he shared with Cas. For one, the bed was in the wrong place. It was tucked away in the corner where the shower was supposed to go. He turned and found the water fountain in another corner by itself. What's more, the food wall wasn't a wall at all: it was a raised and tiered platform in the center of the room where the bed was supposed to be. The layout actually wasn't half bad. If only it weren't for that  _smell._ Smoke and ash. Why did the place smell like it had been set on fire?

Though, when Dean finally located the shower his heart nearly leapt out of his chest.

Someone was in it.

And it wasn't Cas.

Amid the swirling greyish waters was a figure that was completely unfamiliar. Dean quickly averted his gaze from the bathing man and studiously focused on the tiers of food in front of him. There was an array of delicacies, including slices of prime cut steak, some caviar with an arrangement of crackers and toast points to go with it. There was also the ubiquitous platters of rabbit food, but also some delicate-looking desserts that Dean couldn't name. He picked up a little square with a cakey crust and layers of different shades that looked like chocolate, and popped it in his mouth. It tasted like coffee.

He picked up another of the little squares and polished it off before turning to the platter with the slices of steak on it. He mowed through half the plate before wondering over to the water fountain and tipping his head back to get a drink. After he'd gotten a few swallows down, he heard a voice that grated against his soul and sent shivers down his spine.

“Oh _goody._.. another one.”

Spluttering, Dean quickly spun around to meet the gaze that belonged to the eerily spine-tingling voice. It took him a moment to catch his breath, water spilling down his bare chest. But once he did, Dean greeted the other man. “Oh, uh, hey.”

“I see Goldie Locks has been eating my porridge.” The stranger stated, slowly moving closer to Dean, a wolfish smirk plastered to his face.

Instinctually, Dean moved away. Something about the guy didn't sit well with him. “Uh, yeah.” Dean glanced over to the array of delicacies before returning his gaze to the man who was continually advancing on him. “Sorry, man. I was just hungry, y'know? And, uh, thirsty.” Dean gestured to the fountain, still not taking his eyes off the stranger. He didn't realize the guy would be so intimidating. He woulda left the stuff alone if he had known.

“Mm-hm. Thirsty.” Stranger looked Dean up and down, licking his chapped lips. “Yeah, I get it.”

“Uhhh... Right.” Dean had finally gotten the tiered display between him and Stranger, and felt a little better for it, but for some reason he still didn't feel 100% safe. “Well, um, my name's Dean...” he announced, hoping that an introduction would ease some of the tension.

It didn't.

“Dean...” Stranger repeated the name slowly, as if he were tasting it. He then took a deep whiff of the air in Dean's direction, closing his eyes as they rolled to the back of his head. “Mmmm. Dean, Dean, Dean.” He opened his eyes again, regarding Dean with a devilish gaze and that wolfish grin. “We're gonna have _so_ _much_ fun, sweet Dean.”

Stranger danger.

That's when Dean realized: the scent of smoke and ash that had been assaulting him since he woke up was coming from  _him._ From the stranger. Ohhh, Dean didn't like that little one bit. Dean wanted to run, to get away. Every instinct in him was screaming at him to escape, but where could he go? He was trapped in this room with a man who smelled like a house fire and who was looking at him like he was a snack.

He wanted Cas.

Where was  _Cas_ ?!

“Your mate's not here, sweet Dean,” Stranger announced, as if reading Dean's mind.

“My- what?” The sudden change in subject threw Dean off for a moment.

“Your mate. Your _Alpha._ He's not here. It's just _you_ and _me._ ”

Those words sent shivers up Dean's spine, and not in a good way. It did nothing but ratchet up his fight-or-flight response to  _danger_ and he started to panic, wanting nothing more than a way to  _flee_ . Stranger advanced on him once again, and Dean side-stepped, keeping the tiered display between the two of them.

“Restrain him,” Stranger demanded in a bored tone.

Dean immediately froze in place. He couldn't move a muscle. He tried as hard as he could to keep moving, to keep the display between him and the strange man who was  _still coming towards him_ , but all he could do was watch with apprehension as the space between them got smaller as Stranger got closer. He couldn't even speak to tell the fucker to  _back off_ .

Once there was nothing but a few inches of air between them, Stranger ran a hand through Dean's chestnut locks, and dropped his head to Dean's shoulder, inhaling deeply right at the spot where Cas had marked him. “Mmmm. Such a sweet scent from such a  _gorgeous_ little Omega.”

Dean's mind was reeling. Alpha, mate, Omega. What did these new terms mean? How did they apply to him? And most importantly, why couldn't he  _move_ ?! He didn't understand anything that was going on. The mere touch from this guy made his skin crawl and his stomach lurch as it threatened to evict his most recent meal. 

Finally, Stranger withdrew, giving another command to the invisible force restraining Dean. “On the bed.”

In an instant, Dean was on his back, being dragged along the floor to the bed in the corner. His head was rested on the pillow roll, causing his senses to be overwhelmed with the cloying scent of smoke and ash which was much stronger there than in the rest of the room. It caused him to gag a bit, but he kept it together.

Stranger approached him, looking down at him with a smug grin on his face. “Now. Isn't this better? Much more _comfy_ , yeah?” Of course, Dean couldn't answer. “Raise the bed.” The bed was obediently risen about three feet higher.

Whether it was floating in the air, or merely extended from the floor, Dean couldn't tell from his position. All he could tell was that now he was three feet closer to this asshole who'd taken away what little freedom he had in this place.

“Remove the pillow.” The pillow roll was taken away. It sunk into the bed and then disappeared completely. “Standard Presentation Position, if you please.” At once, Dean was turned over onto his stomach, his hands bracketing his head and his rump was positioned high into the air, exposing his puckered entrance to Stranger's greedy gaze. “Mmmm. This'll do nicely,” Stranger stated as he ran a hand up and down Dean's flank, making his way to his ass and kneading the flesh there before running a rough finger across Dean's dry hole. “But _this_ won't do at all, will it? How about turning up the _heat_ a bit, hm?”

Dean didn't have time to wonder what he meant by that as he was suddenly assaulted by an intense and inescapable heat that nearly choked him and sent his head swimming once again. His hole began leaking and dribbling a steady stream of slick down his thighs. It was all familiar and intense and he didn't like it _one_ _bit._ Not when Cas was nowhere to be seen. The only other times he had ever felt this way was when he and Cas where being commanded to-

_-MATE-_

“With pleasure,” Stranger all but purred.

_Shit_ ! No, no, no. This couldn't be happening. This could  _not_ be happening! Why were they doing this to him? He had just become attached to Cas. Why couldn't he just stay with  _Cas_ ? His mate, his... Alpha? That's the word Stranger used, isn't it? It didn't matter, he just didn't want  _this_ ! This just  _couldn't be happening_ ! Not again.

But it was. It was happening and he couldn't do a thing to stop it. He nearly swallowed his tongue as he felt the bed dip down beneath the Stranger's weight. His lungs felt ready to explode as he felt the other man line himself up behind Dean, the blunt head of his cock rubbing up against his slick-covered hole. And he tried his damnedest to scream when Stranger said, “By the way, the name's Alistair,” and rammed into his now-drenched hole without preamble. 

Tears threatened to spill from Dean's eyes as he was pounded into against his will by a stranger, yet again. He just didn't understand why this was happening to him. Why _him_? What had he done to deserve this? Was there any way he could fix it? Whatever the answers were to those question, he wouldn't be receiving one. His attention was roughly brought back to the present as Stranger – Alistair, apparently – began ramming into him roughly, grabbing his hips in a bruising, vice-like grip.

“Let him talk. I wanna hear those pretty noises.”

Immediately Dean felt his vocal chords loosen and he let out a wail, pleading with the man behind him. “Please, please stop. Just let me go,  _please_ !” 

“Oh, such _pretty_ noises.” Instead of having mercy, Alistair fucked into Dean's hole even harder.

To Dean's horror, Alistair began mercilessly ramming into his prostate with every thrust, causing his body to respond in the  _wrong_ way to the stimulation. He wished he could stop it, but he just couldn't. His treacherous body seemed to have a mind of its own, and continued to race to the edge as he was impaled on the stranger's cock.

“Mmm, you're getting close already, aren't you, you naughty Omega? I can feel it. Your hole's getting so tight for me. You're liking this _aren't_ you? I know you are. You can't lie to me _Dean._ ” Alistair punctuated Dean's name with a particularly brutal slam of his hips and he paused to grind his growing knot into Dean's abused and leaking hole. He then continued with his brutal pace.

Dean continued to plead and beg, “No, stop! Please stop!” After a while, he didn't know if he was talking to Alistair or his own body, which continued to race to the edge. Soon - all too soon - he could feel a growing pressure in his lower abdomen. His cock, hanging heavy and neglected between his legs, was weeping uncontrollably; glob after glob of precum splattering onto the bed beneath him. He could feel it, so close. God, he nearly wanted to beg for it, just so it could be _over_ already. It was building, more and more. He was right on the edge about to spill over, his mouth opened in a silent scream as his balls drew up and then... Nothing.

Nothing happened.

Dean could feel his orgasm hovering just out of reach, but it just wouldn't happen.

“Aww, does the naughty little Omega want his cummies? Well too bad! No orgasms for naughty Omegas. Look at you! A mated Omega, presenting himself on all fours for any strange Alpha to use. All spread out ad tight around my cock, ready for my knot. You want it _so_ _bad_ , don't you? I know, sweet thing, but it's not gonna happen for you. You're just gonna have to lie there and _take it_.”

The tears that were threatening to fall finally streamed down Dean's face. God he needed to cum so badly. He didn't want to, Lord knows he didn't  _want_ to, but he  _needed_ to. He felt like he was gonna go insane if he didn't find some sort of relief.

A sob escaped Dean's lips, reaching Alistair's ears. “Aw, sweet little thing. Here, let me help you.”

Alistair reached around Dean's front and grabbed his swollen cock, stroking it in time to his own brutal thrusts. Dean cried out, overwhelmed by the sensations. Alistair chuckled and Dean practically keened, pressing his forehead into the bed, bucking back into Alistair's cock and forward into his tight fist. Alistair paused in his stoking periodically to run his thumb over Dean's weeping slit, spreading the precome around the head and driving Dean insane with lust. But all of this did nothing to tip him over that perpetual edge. All it did was make Dean impossibly hornier and caused him to clench his hole tighter around Alistair's fat Alpha cock.

After what seemed like an eternity, Alistair finally -  _finally_ – came inside Dean, his knot fully popping and latching on the rim of muscle. Dean heaved a sign of relief, his head dropping back down and thudding onto the soft bed. He didn't get to cum but since Alistair did, at least his poor prostate and swollen cock could get a break. He still  _really_ needed to cum, but he didn't  _want_ to come on this monster's cock, so that was okay. 

Or so he thought.

Alistair was panting slightly in his post-orgasmic bliss, but it only took him a few moments to get his breathing back under control. Once he did, he said, “Post Position A.”

Dean felt himself being slowly shifted onto his right side, facing the rest of the room. Alistair shifted with him, his knotted cock still buried deep inside him. Once they were on their sides, Alistair had better access to Dean's neck and ear. He wrapped his arms around Dean possessively, pulling Dean's back flush against his chest. He laved is tongue over Dean's neck and ear, causing Dean to try to twist and writhe away from the unwanted intimacy. It distracted the Omega from noticing the Alpha's roaming hand, making its way back to Dean's still-swollen cock. Once it came into contact again, Dean gasped and involuntarily thrust his hips forward, causing him to clench onto Alistair's knot even tighter, and causing himself to stroke into the vile man's fist.

“Mmmm, still so desperate for it?” He licked his way up Dean's neck to his ear, stopping to suck the lobe into his mouth and nibble on the bit of flesh.

Dean stifled a groan and simply tried to turn his head to dislodge the lobe from the Alpha's mouth, but it was no use; he just didn't have enough range of motion.

“Well, that's too bad, sweet thing.” He planted a deceptively gentle kiss directly on top of Cas's mark on his left shoulder. The audacity! Dean let loose a low growl from his throat, a threat and a warning to back off! “Oh-ho! Sensitive, are we?” Alistair mocked with a wide smile plastered to his face. “Well you have no say in the matter here.” To prove his point, he pressed a firmer kiss in the exact same spot, running his tongue over the mark as well.

Dean growled even louder, baring his teeth and trying to struggle even harder out of this animal's grip, but that invisible force was still holding him still.

Alistair simply chuckled again. “Poor, sweet Omega. So  _loyal_ to your Alpha, aren't you?” He didn't wait for Dean to reply, (not that he would anyway). Instead, he continued to lick Dean's neck, then graduated to sucking on the flesh. Hard. Right over the pulse point. As he did, he began stroking Dean's rock hard cock some more, causing Dean's low growls to turn into involuntary moans.

It was so  _unfair_ ! Dean thought he'd have a respite from the onslaught of sensations, but it wasn't to be. Dean's dick had remained hard, but he had finally came back from the edge. But Alistair just kept slowly stroking and stroking, bringing Dean right back to that damned edge, and keeping him there. God, why couldn't he just  _cum_ already?! Whatever the reason, he wasn't going to beg this time. He wouldn't say a word! He didn't want to give Alistair the satisfaction. Gah! If only he could  _cum_ !

“Ah, ah, ah,” Alistair admonished in a sing-song tone. “What did I say about naughty Omegas, hm? Naughy Omegas don't get to orgasm.”

“Ugh! What does that even mean?!!” Dean lost the battle over his own tongue all too quickly.

Alistair chuckled before answering. “It means, oh sweet thing, that mated Omegas can  _only_ cum with.  _Their._ Alpha!” He punctuated the last three words with particularly tight and fast strokes of Dean's cock to get his point across, causing a deep and shameful groan to escape Dean's lips once again. Alistair let loose a filthy groan as Dean's tightening ass squeezed another few spouts of Alpha seed out of his knot. As Alistair caught his breath and slowed back down to his languid pace, he kept talking. “But Alphas, ohhh mated  _Alphas_ can cum as much. As. They. Want.” He chuckled into Dean's ear before whispering conspiratorially, “What do you think  _your_ Alpha's doing  _right now_ ?”

Dean fought back a sob as Alistair picked up the pace again.

 

~*~*~*~

 

Cas and Alfie sat at the edge of the room, against one of the walls, munching on bits of fruit and tiny sandwiches.

Once Alfie had finished showering, Cas could hear the boy's stomach growling from across the room, so he decided that questions could wait until he had gotten some food into the young man. So he requested a food wall from the room, along with a water fountain and some cushions to sit on so they'd be more comfortable while they sat and ate (that last one was Alfie's suggestion). Once their bellies were full, and their whistles wetted, they sat down, facing each other, as Cas asked his first questions.

“So,” Cas began, wondering where to start. He thought for a moment. Since he figured he'd finally get some answers, he suddenly didn't know which questions to ask first. There were so many. He decided to start with the most recent for now, then jump around later. “So, what did you mean when you said I was different from 'other Alphas'? How many are there? What makes me different?”

“Well,” Alfie said, taking a deep breath. “There've been a _lot_ of others. I counted at first, been the after about 20 or 30, the numbers just didn't mean anything to me any more. I just endured.” Cas simply nodded as Alfie continued. “And you're different because you're nicer. And because you _didn't_ mount me.”

“None of the others refused the mating command?”

“Some of them tried, but... they all gave in,” Alfie shrugged. “You're the first to resist completely. Actually, when you asked me if I wanted a shower, I thought you were gonna... _take_ _me_ in there. A, um, a few Alphas liked doing it in the shower.” Alfie blushed again, looking away from the Alpha bashfully.

“I see.” Cas nodded, then took a deep breath. It infuriated him that others could be so cruel to this sweet, and very small, young man. It made him even angrier when he realized that they must have done it of their own volition. The subdermal implant on his arm hadn't changed when Alfie presented himself, so he could only assume that the same was true for the other Alphas. Alfie cringed and whimpered a bit as he got a whiff of Castiel's anger, which immediately made the Alpha feel guilty. “I'm sorry Alfie, I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at those others who would do that to you. And I promise, I will _not_ do the same. I won't!”

“Thank you, Castiel.” Alfie smiled a bit as he met the Alpha's eyes, but only briefly. He quickly looked away once he'd shown his gratitude.

After a few minutes of silence, a thought crossed Castiel's mind. “So, Alfie, why didn't you make any requests for the room to give you any of the things you need? Shower, food, water, or anything else?”

“Well, I've tried. But those things only show up when an Alpha requests them. In _this_ room, at least.”

“What?!” Cas asked incredulously.

“Yeah. And they'll all disappear once you leave.”

Cas was stunned for a moment before he spoke up. “That is absolute bullshit! Why the hell would they do that to you?”

“It's so that each new Alpha will feel comfortable enough when they enter. It wouldn't do for them to smell, or in any other way _sense_ , another Alpha when they're supposed to be mating with the only available Omega. It's a territorial thing.”

“That's absolutely insane. And completely unfair to you.”

Alfie blushed again and ducked his head. “That's very kind of you. But I'm okay. Really.”

Cas wasn't convinced, but there wasn't really anything he could do about the situation. He took a few breaths to calm his nerves so he wouldn't upset Alfie again. He didn't speak again until he felt he was calm enough to continue and move on.

There was something else he needed to know. Something that he was ashamed of, but he just had to know. “Alfie, do you know, um, why I- why I felt, um... earlier, when you were...”

“You wanna know why you felt aroused when I presented myself to you earlier?” Alfie supplied, noticing the Alpha was floundering.

“Yes!” Cas breathed a sigh of relief that Alfie understood what he was saying. Now it was his turn to blush, however.

“Yeah. That's just a natural biological response that an Alpha has when smelling the slick of an Omega in heat. And currently my heats are being forced, so that new Alphas will be... you know... enticed.”

That caused a whole new wave of questions to bombard Cas's mind, but he would have to circle back to that later. At least now he knew there wasn't anything wrong with him, at least according to Alfie. He still felt guilty over his body's response, involuntary though it may be.

“So,” Cas began again, clearing his throat as he changed the subject, “how about you tell me what you know about where Dean is? My mate? That's what you called him, right?”

“Uh, yeah. I did. And I don't know _where_ he is. I just know he's safe. That's a message I have to give you. So you don't worry too much. Although, you're gonna worry anyways, no matter what I tell you. That's what Alphas do: worry about their mates. Nevertheless, I am to give you peace of mind in this regard. Your mate _is_ safe and well.”

“Okay,” Cas took in a great breath and then released it. He felt a little better, but Alfie was right: the assurance didn't take his worry away completely. He still felt very uneasy with being separated from Dean like this. Something just didn't sit right in the back of his mind. Maybe that was also just part of being an Alpha, like Alfie said. “Are there any other messages you need to give me?”

“No. That's it.”

“Okay. Do you know why we're being kept in this place? What's the point of all this?”

“I- I'm not sure. I just know we needed to change. For the better.”

“'For the better'?” Cas repeated. “The better of what?”

Alfie shrugged. “I'm not sure. I wasn't given complete information.”

“Alright.” Cas sighed. He didn't know what to make of this information. He seemed to just be accumulating even more questions. Cas, who had been facing Alfie with the wall to his left, turned so that he could rest his back against the wall. He thumped his head back and looked at the ceiling. Alfie did the same, resting his back against the same wall, though he did it without thumping his head. After a few minutes Cas continued, still looking at the ceiling. “Will I get to see Dean again?”

“Yeah, of course. You're only with me temporarily.”

“But _why_?” Cas demanded, turning his head to look at Alfie, his frustration beginning to build again.

“Th-they want you to mate with me. I don't know why.” Alfie swallowed. “You'll most likely find out when you go to the next Phase.”

“Next phase?”

“Yeah. This is Phase Two.”

Cas suddenly remembered what he'd heard right before he and Dean lost consciousness: _'-PHASE ONE: SUCCESS. PHASE TWO: INITIATED-'_

“Sooo, what's Phase Three?” Cas asked, apprehension clear in his voice.

“I couldn't tell you.” Alfie shrugged. After a moment, his brow knit in concern as he seemed to think of something. “And actually, now that I think about it, you may _have_ to mate with me.”

Alarmed, Cas swung around to face Alfie again, apprehension rising once more. “Alfie... what do you mean by that?”

“W-well, with the other Alphas, they only moved on to Phase Three... _after_ they'd mated with me. Repeatedly.”

“Shit!”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, let me know what you guys think about THIS doozy!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. Sorry this update took so long. I usually try posting on either Thursday or Friday, but for the last week I've been packing and getting things together so I could move (from Arizona, back to Michigan), so I haven't been able to do much writing. But yesterday I had a major writing marathon and got all caught up so I wouldn't be any later than I currently am.
> 
> Things have calmed down now, so I *shouldn't* be late anymore, but ya know, life does happen.
> 
> Anyways, please enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think in the comments below :)

“ _Shiiiit_!” Alistair groaned as he spilled yet another load deep into Dean's ass.

Dean was sobbing uncontrollably. This was the fifth time Alistair had used him, the fifth time they had been ordered to 'mate' (though the order seemed redundant, since Alistair seemed to be controlling the whole thing) and Dean _still_ hadn't been able to cum. He was so desperate for release that he'd been begging for ages before he finally gave up and accepted Alistair's order to just _take it_. It wasn't easy though. Every time he got a look at his painfully swollen and leaking cock, he could see that it was a ruddy purplish color, the skin stretched taut and angry-looking. The sight made him want to cum even more, lest his poor cock simply explode from the pressure.

God! He'd do _anything_ if he could just cum already! It had been _days_ now since he'd woken up in Alistair's smokey lair and he hadn't been allowed to orgasm, not _once._ He also didn't have any control over his own body. Alistair controlled _everything_ he did. From eating and getting a drink from the fountain, to showering and sleeping. Even the _position_ in which he slept was controlled by Alistair, the few times Alistair actually _let_ him sleep.

The worst, absolutely _worst_ time is when Alistair had finally been done with him for the day, and Dean thought that he'd get some much-needed rest and respite from the constant onslaught of involuntary sensations while Alistair slept (and unfortunately, Alistair liked having Dean next to him as they slept). But no. He was to have no respite. Alistair gave a dastardly order for Dean to continue to feel sensations. For the whole night.

'Stimulation Package Alpha' is what he'd called it, and Dean thought he was going to die from the overstimulation that his body felt that night. Alistair turned off Dean's vocal cords once again so that he couldn't make any noise. That allowed Alistair to get some rest as Dean was continually assaulted by sensations. It felt like Alistair was still fucking him, brutally ramming his prostate at a punishing pace and stretching his hole wide for what seemed like forever. His dick felt like it was being stroked continuously in time with the brutal fucking pace he was feeling. What's more, he felt like he was being licked and caressed over every inch of his body.

Needless to say, he didn't receive any sleep that night. Which was actually just the night before this, Alistair's latest orgasm. As soon as Alistair woke up, he had order the sensations to cease, but and Dean got just a few seconds of blissful respite before Alistair began fucking Dean himself. Alistair gave the order for Dean's vocals to be turned back on and the Omega immediately screamed out his agony in a mix of swears, pleas, curses and threats on Alistair's life. And that's where they were now: with Alistair fucking brutally into Dean's soaked hole once more. The Omega so aroused and denied that in any other situation he could cum multiple times just from a gentle breeze. But now, he was to have no release.

“Shit!” Alistair swore again. “Omegas always get so _tight_ when they've been denied for so long. But _you!_ Oh boy, _you_ are something else.” Alistair caressed Dean's flank as he ground his knot against Dean's prostate, eliciting another shameful keening noise from the Omega's raw throat.

“Fuck you!” Dean spat out between sobs and groans. He wished the asshole would just shut the fuck up already.

“Isn't that what we're doing, sweet thing? Oh, or are you desperate for more?” Alistair reached beneath Dean and began stroking the Omega's engorged cock once more, causing Dean to involuntarily buck his hips. “Yeeessss. _So_ desperate. Just how I like 'em,” Alistair crooned against Dean's ear. “Maybe I'll even get you to cum,” Alistair licked a strip up Dean's neck. “If that happens, maybe I'll get to keep you. Then you'll _never_ see your precious Alpha again. Wouldn't you like that? To be constantly denied over and over, not allowed to cum unless _I_ say so?” He picked up the pace, stroking Dean's cock with renewed vigor.

“Ah, _fuuuck_!” Dean crowed, his head tossing back as he tried his hardest to stop his hips from bucking into the tight fist. As desperate as he was, he didn't want to cum if there was even a _chance_ of never seeing Cas again, even though he's sure Alistair is just full of shit, but he still couldn't stop his ass from clenching even harder around Alistair's knot, causing yet another pulse of Alpha seed to gush into the Omega's swollen and abused hole.

It seemed like forever, but Alistair's knot finally, _finally_ went down enough for him to pull out of Dean. That, however, didn't stop him from continually fisting Dean's aching cock. No, in fact he seemed to go at the task with a newfound vigor. He commanded Dean onto his back using that damned invisible force, then continued pumping Dean mercilessly until the Omega was a whimpering sobbing mess of need and desperation.

Dean just wanted it all to _stop_!

But Alistair just kept going and _going_! Dean had to close his eyes to keep from having to look at that smug and demonically gleeful look in the Alpha's eyes as he took in his handiwork. Dean was flushed and sweating, breathing heavily. There were bruises sucked into his neck and shoulders, and other bruises in varies places on his body, mainly his hips, from Alistair's brutal grip. Dean's cock was unbelievably swollen and purplish red, leaking precome uncontrollably. There was cum and slick leaking from his ass in a thick, steady stream. His his hair was a sweaty and tangled mess, and his lips were swollen and puffy from Dean constantly biting them to hold back as many of his own sounds as possible. Alistair took far too much pleasure in hearing the Omega's keens. He couldn't hold them all back though. A few escaped his throat and met the ears of this monster like it was music.

Dean was beginning to lose hope. Maybe this would never end. Maybe he would have to stay in this room with this vile and sickening Alpha forever.

Just as hope began to die in Dean's heart and mind, his salvation finally came in the sound of a familiar and formally hated voice. Now it was a soothing balm to his battered soul.

_-PHASE TWO: COMPLETED-_

_-PHASE THREE: INITIATED-_

“Damn,” Alistair said with a chuckle, removing his hand from Dean's tender flesh. “Well, it was fun while it lasted, eh sweet thing?”

“Go to hell you sonovabitch!” Dean spat out, still panting, still prone and unable to move from the spot where Alistair had him on the bed. Thankfully, though, his mind began to fog as vision started to fade.

“Oh no, _Dean_. I think I'll stay right here in heaven.”

The last thing that Dean was aware of was Alistair's chuckle as he patted Dean's abdomen, still slightly swollen from all of the Alpha cum he'd taken.

Then blissful darkness.

 

~*~*~*~

 

Days later, and Alfie had gone into four more forced heats (he informed Cas that that's what they're called) and presented himself in front of Cas as they were commanded to 'mate'. And four more times, Cas refused. When he asked Alfie why he complied so readily, the Omega merely stated that it was better than being forced. That was completely understandable to Cas as the Alpha remembered he and Dean being forced into position not too long ago. Or _was_ it a long time ago? He still didn't know exactly how long it had been since he'd seen Dean and he was beginning to miss his mate terribly.

The arousal he was feeling every time Alfie presented himself was beginning to become unbearable. It wasn't too bad at first, but each subsequent presentation seemed to cause his arousal to pile up on itself, and now it's getting to be just a little too much. He feared he wouldn't have a choice but to 'mate' with the young Omega if this continued any further.

“You may not have a choice, Castiel,” Alfie announced, as if reading the Alpha's mind. He picked himself off of the floor after the latest wave of his heat and got himself into a sitting position next to Cas once more.

“I know,” Cas groaned, lamenting his predicament. He still didn't understand the point of all of this. Why have him and Dean become mates, just to separate them and force him to mate with another man? It made no sense! Luckily, as Alfie assured him, Dean was _not_ going through the same thing. Omegas were kept safe and well until their Alphas returned to them. But it seemed like he was never going to return to his mate, until he complied with the order to 'mate' with Alfie.

He was just about to resign himself to his fate and simply comply with the command to 'mate'. If that's what it took in order to see Dean again, then he'd do it. He just hoped Dean could forgive him. He turned to Alfie to announce his decision. “Alfie, when you go into heat again-”

_-PHASE TWO: COMPLETED-_

_-PHASE THREE: INITIATED-_

“What?!” The Alpha announced incredulously.

“You did it,” Alfie said with a small smile on his face.

“What do you mean, Alfie. Did what?” He didn't like the knowing look that suddenly graced the Omega's face.

“I wasn't allowed to tell you.”

“Tell me wha- _what_?!” Cas stammered as his mind became foggy once more and his vision began to fade.

“You'll find out soon enough. For now though, you need to get back to your mate.”

“What about y-you?” He as fading fast.

“Don't worry about me. I'll be fine.” Alfie smiled fondly at Castiel as the Alpha began losing consciousness. “We all have our roles to fill. This one is mine. Just get back to your mate now.”

Cas wanted to protest further, but he couldn't. His vision faded completely as he slumped over and was met with darkness once more.

 

~*~*~*~

 

Cas awoke some time later to the scent of berries and honey. It was a sweet smell, like home and comfort and warmth. He slowly peeked his eyes open and saw Dean lying next to him. They were both on their bed, lying on their sides, facing each other. Back in their own room.

Cas reached over and smiled fondly as he swept a few errant strands of hair from Dean's brow, which was furrowed as if in consternation. At least he was safe and well, just like Alfie had told him. Dean, his mate, his Omega, was sleeping soundly next to him and all was right with the word once more. While Dean slept, Cas took the opportunity to asses his mate's well-being, just to be sure he didn't befall any harm during the time they were apart.

The Omega didn't appear to have any marks on him. No cuts or bruises or anything else that would indicate that he had been harmed. The only thing he could find on the sleeping man's body was the mating mark he had given him the last time they were together (Alfie had explained that to him during their time together). Dean even looked clean, as if he had been bathed since the last time there were together. Cas remembered that they'd both been covered in cum and slick after their last romp in the hay. But it made sense that they'd clean Dean, since Cas also appeared to have been cleaned when he woke up with Alfie.

After Cas finished with his assessment of his mate's well-being, he decided that he'd had enough of the silence. He'd missed Dean and he wanted to have him in his arms at the moment. And maybe the Omega wouldn't be averse to a bit of fun after their time apart. Plus, Cas had some sexual frustration he wanted to release that had built up from his time with Alfie. He just hoped Dean would be up for it. If not, then no pressure. But an Alpha can hope, can't he?

“Dean?” Cas shook the other man's shoulder gently. When that failed to rouse him, Cas leaned in and ran his lips across the mating mark on the spot where his shoulder met his neck. He planted soft kisses there as he reached around to Dean's back, running a hand along his spine. “Dean...” Cas called out again, his voice a deep rumble in the Omega's ear.

Oak and cinnamon. That was the scent that Dean woke up to. It was home and it was safety and comfort. It was also highly arousing. Dean let out a low growl as he opened his eyes and met Cas's with a hungry, almost feral gaze. “Cas!” Dean was immediately breathless and breathing hard, a thin sheen of sweat suddenly broke out all over his body, his cock instantly gaining diamond crushing abilities. He grabbed the Alpha and brought their lips together in a bruising and desperate kiss. “Cas... I need... you to... fuck me... _now_!” Dean demanded in between kisses.

Cas, of course, was all too happy to oblige. After all, how could he deny such a command? With a low and possessive growl, Cas pushed Dean onto his back, and he was on the Omega in a heartbeat. Their mouths mashed together, and their groins ground into one another. Dean was immediately leaking slick and the scent wafted up to Cas's nose, causing his cock to swell almost instantaneously, and spurring him on even more. With another growl, he reached down with both his hands and raised Dean's knees up, then wrapped his legs around his waist. Dean got the hint quickly and hooked his ankles behind Cas's back.

“Quit dicking around and _get in me_!” Dean demanded.

A part of Cas liked this bossiness that Dean was exerting, but another part of him demanded that _he_ should be the one in control. So he quickly leaned down and nipped at Dean's collarbone in gentle reprimand, growling lowly as he did. He wasn't sure why he did that, it just came to him, but it had the desired effect. Mostly.

Dean huffed impatiently and let out a warning growl to match, but he didn't rush any more. At least not verbally. Physically he was a writhing, panting, whimpering mess. And Cas was loving every second of it. It was a huge boost to the Alpha's ego to know that he could have such an instant effect on his Omega. After a few more moments of kissing, caressing and a bit of grinding, Cas had finally had enough. Shifting slightly, he lined himself up with Dean's waiting and drenched hole, then roughly pressed into him, bottoming out immediately.

The two of them let out simultaneous groans. Dean threw his head back, exposing his neck. Cas took advantage of the angle and latched his lips to the stretch of flesh. Dean moaned again and bucked his hips up slightly, trying to get a bit of friction to his neglected cock. Failing that, he reached between their stomachs to wrap a hand around the swollen member, but was hindered by Cas's hand suddenly appearing on his wrist. Dean growled in frustration, but was still inexplicably turned on by the show of dominance as Cas placed both of Dean's arms above his head and pinned them there. Cas continued lavishing his attention on Dean's neck. The Omega was about ready to cum already, and they'd barely started.

Slowly, Cas started rocking his hips, dragging his cock almost all the way out before slowly pressing all the way back in, causing the Omega to keen and writhe in pleasure. He was already on the edge, and Cas's pace wasn't helping to push him over any. It was about to drive Dean mad.

“Cas, ah, _please_!”

“What do you need Dean?” Cas asked, still lazily sucking bruises into Dean's flesh.

“I need you to _fuck me_. Please!” Dean all but sobbed out the desperate plea.

“Mmmm,” Cas groaned out. Dean begging to be fucked, all desperate and needed caused something in the Alpha to snap. He lost all control and picked up his pace considerably, roughly ramming his cock in and out of Dean's incredibly tight channel, causing the Omega to howl with pleasure.

It didn't take long for Dean to cum screaming, painting both of their chests a sticky white. Rope after thick rope continuously ejected from Dean's diamond-crushing hardon. Dean stopped breathing for a few moments before he came back to himself a little bit, just enough to hear Cas calling his name.

“-ean? Dean! Are you alright?” Cas was breathing heavily, but had stopped his punishing pace and was looking down at his Omega with a worried expression on his face. He had released Dean's wrists and one hand was caressing his face, wiping tears from the Omega's eyes. “Are you alright?” He asked again. “Do you need me to sto-”

“ _No_! M'good, Cas. Keep going!” Dean all but begged.

“Are you sure?”

“I'm sure, Cas,” Dean nodded vigorously. “Please. Just keep going. _Please_!”

Cas couldn't say no to the pleading look in Dean's eyes. He leaned down and kissed his mate tenderly before beginning to thrust into him once more. It didn't take long for him to resume his previous pace, and before long he was back at his breakneck speed, fucking into Dean with reckless abandon. Beneath him, Dean was jutting his hips up and down, meeting each and every one of Cas's thrusts with his own, apparently still desperate for more.

It didn't take much longer for Dean to cum again with a loud groan, even more cum ejecting to mix and mingle with the previous load. Before Cas could say anything, Dean urged him to keep going, and _keep_ _going._ When Cas finally came, his knot popping and catching on Dean's rim, spilling his own load deep inside Dean's drenched hole, Dean had cum a total of five times. By the end of it, Cas had finally let Dean touch himself, so Dean was able to cum with his fist locked tight around his cock and pumping furiously to milk every possible drop from his balls. At the end of it all, the two of them were a sticky and gooey mess, but neither of them had the energy, or the wherewithal, to care at the moment.

As they each came down from their respective highs, Cas lavishing even more kisses to Dean's neck and shoulders, and Dean lying boneless beneath his mate, limp and satiated, Cas ventured to ask a question. “You wanna tell me what that was about?”

Dean thought about it for a moment, but came up blank. “I have no idea, Cas. I just... I don't know.”

“Did... something happen while we were apart?” Cas pulled back from his task of further marking up Dean's neck to look the other man in the face, his brow knitting in concern. He knows Alfie told him that Dean was well and safe during their time apart, but that doesn't mean that nothing could have happened to him.

“No. Not that I know of. I just...”

“What? What's the last thing you remember?”

“You. Calling my name. I guess I had, I don't know, passed out or something. I heard you calling my name, but I couldn't answer you. Then... I woke up next to you. Horny as _fuck_! I don't know what the hell that was about.”

“Hm.” Was all Cas said. He looked away from Dean for a moment, looking pensive.

“Why? What do you remember? Did something happen to _you_ while I was out?”

“Well, yeah. Quite a lot has happened over the last few days, and-”

“Wait, _days_?!” Dean blurted out incredulously, cutting Cas off. “I've been out of it for _days_?! What the hell!”

“Well, that's my best estimate. It's really hard to keep track of time in this place with no windows or clocks. But yes. Like I said: a lot has happened.”

“Well, ya _gotta_ tell me.”

Cas chuckled at the demanding tone, smiling fondly. “Bossy Omega.” At the confused look on Dean's face, Cas chuckled again, but dove straight into the explanation of what had happened to him over the last few days. He started with what happened to him when he woke up, how out of it he was, then the discovery of Alfie in the room with him. He told Dean everything he had learned from Alfie, and even told Dean the fact that he and Alfie had been commanded to mate several times. At that, Dean got a bit indignant, but Cas assured him that nothing happened. They weren't even forced into position like he'd been expecting. He told Dean everything, not leaving out a single detail.

A bit of insecurity seeped into Dean's psyche when Cas told him about the arousal he'd felt when Alfie presented to him. “So, it turned you on? When this Alfie kid, what, _presented_ himself to you?”

“Well, yeah. I couldn't help it. Alfie said it was just part of my new biology. But I promise, _nothing_ happened! I refused _every_ _time._ ”

Dean nodded at that, seeming to accept Cas's explanation. “So... is that something you'd like me to do?”

“What?” Cas asked in confusion.

Dean huffed in mild frustration. “You know. Present. Is that something you'd like me to do?” It made Dean uncomfortable to even ask that. It sounded humiliating, and he couldn't imagine enjoying being in a position like that. It would definitely present a problem if that were something Cas would want him to do. “Because if that's something you're in to, I gotta tell ya, man-”

“Oh, no no. I wouldn't want you to do that. Alfie told me he only got into that position because it was less personal and it made mating with strange Alphas easier to bare if he didn't have to look at them.”

Dean breathed a sign of relief. “Good. Cuz that wouldn't've worked out. I can tell you that now!”

Cas chuckled again. He was relieved Dean was taking this all so well. By the time they were finished discussing the events of the past few days, the swelling in Cas's knot had gone down enough for him to gingerly pull out of Dean's hole, which actually involuntarily clenched around the member, trying to keep it in.

Dean groaned slightly, feeling empty as Cas fully withdrew from him. Once they were separated, he got a better look at their torsos. Seeing the mess that he'd caused there he groaned even louder, this time in disgust. He wrinkled his nose at the gooey and sticky coating covering both of their bodies and announced, “Dude, we both need a shower. Now.”

“Agreed,” Cas sighed as he stood. He reached down to give Dean a hand up, and they made their way over to the water flow for a much needed shower.

The crystal clear waters engulfed them, same as always, turning the deep purple of their combined colors once again (although how the hell they get purple from pink and orange is still a mystery to them). It didn't take long for their skin to be swept clean of all debris, but they stayed in the shower longer than they needed to. They exchanged kisses and caresses, lazily exploring and worshiping each other's bodies with hands and lips and tongues. They weren't trying to start anything up again, they just wanted to spend some time together after so long apart. Dean didn't remember any of it, but it did still _feel_ like they hadn't been together in a while. He could only imagine how Cas was feeling after their separation.

When they finally emerged from the upwards flowing waters, they were both starving. “How about we get the wall to rustle up some grub?” Dean supplied.

“Good idea. Actually, since you've just said something, the room _should_ supply us with what we need in just a moment.”

The two of them waited, staring at the empty wall expectantly. But after a few minutes, nothing happened.

“Um, isn't food supposed to be happening right about now?”

“Yes. I don't know what the problem could be.” After a few more moments of nothing, Cas decided to give the command. “We're hungry. Food please!”

Still nothing.

“Okay, what's the hold up? I'm starv-”

Suddenly, the water fountain and the shower both stopped flowing, leaving the wall where they were stationed empty.

“What the hell-”

Before either of them could protest further, the water wall suddenly fell away. They both stood there, stunned, as the wall lowered itself down and back, creating a wide ramp that led down to a floor about five feet down. Beyond it was another room, except this one wasn't as bright. It looked almost like an empty warehouse, but it wasn't quite as big, and there was still an absence of windows. The walls were a dark grey and there was carpeting covering the entire area. The ceiling was white and there was a light emanating from it, and just like their room, no source could be determined, as if the light was coming from the surface itself.

Dean and Cas stepped up to the new opening cautiously. They stood at the corner, close to the still-empty food wall, as Cas leaned his head out, looking right then left.

“You see anything?” Dean asked.

“No, there's nothi-”

“Hi guys!” A perky voice sounded from around the corner, causing both of them to jump and jerk back. “Oh, don't worry guys, I'm not gonna bite.” A perky and petite redhead had come bounding around the corner to greet them. She was smiling from ear to ear, and she was carrying a clipboard and wearing a white and navy blue uniform. The slacks where a solid navy blue, with white cuffs and a white waistband. The button down top, which was tucked into her slacks, was a solid white with navy blue cuffs and collar. She was also sporting shiny, black shoes which glinted in the light.

Dean and Cas, after spending so long in the buff, hadn't noticed their nudity anymore, but at the sight of this primly dressed young _woman_ , they were suddenly very aware of their state of undress.

“Oh don't worry about bein' naked. I've seen my fare share of wangs, believe me!” She waved off their ill attempts at covering themselves then continued. “Anyways, if you guys'll step down this ramp here, carefully, I can show you guys to where you can get some clothes, then I can show you around, get you some food and answer some questions. So come on, follow me!” She bounded off, without waiting to see if they were following.

Turns out, she didn't need to, as soon as she moved away, the two men hurried after her, shouting and nearly tripping over their own feet in an attempt to keep up with the tiny ball of energy. She said she could _answer_ _questions_! No way were they gonna let her get away!

“Wait, _wait_! Hold on!”

“Who are you?”

“Where are we?”

“What the hell is going _on_?!”

The woman stopped in her tracks and turned to face the two nude men bounding up to her. She put her empty hand in the air in a placating gesture saying, “Guys, guys! Take a breath! Everything will be explained, but first we need to get you guys dressed and _fed._ I'm sure you're hungry right?”

They both nodded at that.

“Good. Now, _follow me._ ” She turned back around to continue her trek, but then suddenly halted and turned back to them. “Oh, by the way. My name is Charlie. Designation: Beta. And I'm _super_ excited to meet you guys!”

Without another word, the Beta turned on her heal and continued walking away. Dean and Cas looked at each other for a moment, before quickly following close behind. They were just happy to be out of that room and just going somewhere – on their own two feet, no less. So, with equal parts excitement and trepidation, they followed the small and energetic woman.

Each of them completely unaware of the new lives growing inside Dean.

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own the images used in this chapter. I just found them on a Google image search.

Charlie, the perky little redhead, turned back around and bounded off again. Dean and Cas looked at each other, shrugged, then followed after her. Dean took one last look behind them, getting a look at their room from the other side of those four walls. They were on the opposite side from where they came down the ramp. Dean was amazed to discover that he could see straight through! The walls must have been two way because he could see everything! The room was raised up a few feet from the floor where he currently stood. It was in the center of an even larger room with nothing else in it.

Dean sighed at the idea of four walls inside of four more walls, before shaking his head and turning back around to catch up with Cas and Charlie. The little redhead could move fast for someone so small, and the two men had to nearly jog to keep up with her. They didn't go too far though; there was a door at the other end of the larger room, and they went through it. Charlie went through first, with Cas and Dean close behind.

On the other side of the door was a short hallway with two more doors: one to the left, about halfway down the hall, and another door at the end. They passed the first door on the left, then went through the door at the end of the hall and were then standing in what looked like a dressing room. It was pretty spacious, with wardrobes lining two of the walls, a large floor-to-ceiling mirror lining one wall and a long wooden bench, like what you'd see in a locker room, in the center of the room.

Dean and Cas stood silently and awkwardly near the door they'd just come through, while Charlie sat her clipboard down on a low table in front of one of the mirrors, and fussed about in a couple of the wardrobes. Neither of them knew what to do or say. The sudden change in their predicament left them both feeling confused and reeling.

They were finally out of that room! That crazy, maddening, wonderful, terrifying and confusing room. As much as they hated it at first, it had become _theirs._ Their own little haven, where it was just the two of them and nobody else. It was where they mated and became one. Hell, it was where they'd met after Dean woke up in the room, and Cas was led down that super long corridor and-

“Hey, hold on,” Cas suddenly thought of something that didn't make sense – well, _none_ of this made a lick of sense, and he'd get a grip on his cognitive functions later on in order to make heads or tails of the situation. For now, he just needed to focus on one thing at a time. “The layout here makes no sense. When I first woke up, I was led down an _immensely_ lengthy corridor to that room back there,” Cas jerked his thumb behind him, indicating the direction from which they'd just come. “But just now I didn't see where a hall like that could have been. It was just a room inside of a room.”

“Oh, that wasn't your room,” Charlie announced from halfway inside another wardrobe, without looking back at them. Her back end was comically dangling from in opening as she appeared to be swimming in a sea of fabrics, causing most of the contents to cascade outwards in her relentless search. “It was just made to _look_ like your room so you'd be comfortable. That was just a holding room, or a, um... transition room? I dunno, that's just the place you were put so you could have some time together after being reunited. And it seemed you _really_ needed some _time_ together, eh?” At that, the spunky little vixen looked back to the two of them over her shoulder, waggling her eyebrows suggestively, before turning back to her task.

Dean blushed a bit at that. “Sooo, you were watching us?” He wasn't sure how he felt about that. Sure, he suspected that he and Cas were being watched, but _suspecting_ something and _knowing_ something are two very different things.

“Yeah, dude. Someone's always watching.” Her voice came out muffled as she continued to dig around in the mounds of clothing spilling out from the wardrobes.

For some reason, that statement loosened both of their tongues and the questions all came pouring out of them.

“ _Who_ is always watching?”

“ _Why_ are they watching?”

“What do you people _want_ from us?”

“Can you tell us why we're here?”

“What's with that freakin' voice tellin' us to 'mate'?!”

“Why is there a swelling at the base of my penis? It gets _larger_ during sex, you know!”

“ _And why the hell did I start leakin' outta my ass_?!”

“Guys, guys! Calm down.” Charlie withdrew herself from the wardrobe she was currently rummaging through and turned to the two men with her hands up in front of her as if to fend off their inquirial attack. “I'll answer all of your questions in due time. But first, we need to get you two dressed, fed and on with Phase Three.”

“Phase three?” Both Alpha and Omega inquired at once.

“Yes, Alfie did say something about another phase,” Cas added thoughtfully. “What is it?”

“Phase Three: Integration,” Charlie intoned.

“Integration?” The two of them spoke together.

“Integration into _what_ exactly?” Cas asked.

“We can have a nice long chat after you're both _dressed_ and _fed_. Now, will ya both _clam it_ while I try finding what I'm looking for?” Charlie turned back to her task of rummaging through the wardrobes.

“Whatchya tryna find, anyway?” Dean asked. The small woman had been searching for a while now.

“I'm trying to find- _ah-ha_! Gotchya, ya bastards!” Charlie pulled out two sets of clothes that were wrapped together in cellophane and hooked on a hanger.

“What are _those_?” Dean asked.

“ _These,_ ” Charlie announced excitedly, “are you new uniforms!”

“Uniforms?” The pair spoke simultaneously once again, giving each other an exasperated look that clearly said _cut it out!_

“Yes. Uniforms. Everyone here wears one,” she indicated her own ensemble as a reference. “Your uniform showcases your position and your Designation.

“What does yours say about you?” Cas gestured to Charlie and her own clothing.

“Well, I'm a Beta, that's my Designation, which is shown by the white and navy blue pattern.” Charlie had set their uniforms on the bench, then also gestured to her own uniform. Then she pointed to her left shoulder which sported an emblem that neither of them had noticed before. It resembled a pair of crescents, one on top and curving down, the other on the bottom and curving up. It looked like they were sliding past each other, and if they went just a few centimeters more, they would hook on to one another. “This emblem ranks me as an ambassador, of sorts.”

“Ambassador?” Dean parroted.

“Yep. I'm one of the people responsible for getting new Alphas and Omegas, like you guys, integrated and situated. But we can talk more about that later. For now, get dressed.” She gestured to the uniforms, still wrapped and untouched on the bench. She then turned around and sat on a low stool near the mirrors, picking up her clipboard and apparently making notes and checking items off.

Cas picked up the bundle, unwrapping it and revealing the clothing within. “Why were they wrapped together?”

“Oh, that's just because they were brought in together from the tailors' department. They had your measurements, and they sent down your clothes when they were done. But whoever's responsible for stocking this place does a piss-poor job of it. They could've left them in a place where they'd be easy to find, but _nooooo_.”

“So... who gets what?” Dean asked.

“Oh yeah,” Charlie said, pointing with her pen. “The red and black goes to Castiel, and the teal and forest green goes to Dean.” Instructions given, she went back to her papers, scratching furiously with her pen.

“Hm.” Cas wrinkled his nose at the black and vibrant ruby red that was to be his new uniform. He handed Dean his green and teal uniform as another package fell from between their clothes.

Dean picked it up, revealing two sets of boxer briefs wrapped in their own protective layer of cellophane. They were in the same color scheme as their uniforms, so there was no question as to who got which pair.

“At least your clothes match your eyes,” Castiel noted, giving Dean a smirk and a wink.

Astonished, Dean just stared at the man for a moment before responding. “Are you _flirting_ with me?” Dean answered Cas's smirk with a wolfish grin of his own, moving a little closer, but his advances were hampered by the cockblocking redhead with the clipboard.

“Stow it, you two. No time for that now.” Charlie gently scolded without looking up, although she did have to stifle a small chuckle and a grin at their antics.

Chuckling, the two of them obediently got dressed, keeping their flirting to a minimum, oblivious to the eye-rolls and tiny grins they still elicited from Charlie. How was it that putting _on_ clothes was more erotic for them than being completely naked? Whatever the reason, in just a few minutes, they were completely decked out in their respective uniforms, and _Oh_ did Dean have a few things to say about his!

First off, Cas looked sexy as hell in his outfit. It fit in all the right ways, highlighting his ass, best of all. The red shirt had a black collar which framed his neck in the most delectable way, making Dean want to take another bite. There was also an upturned crescent of black fabric stretched out on each of his sides, accentuating his hips, and at the same time, making his rippling pectorals stand out. The straight-legged, black slacks had a single red stripe running down each leg, making them look impossibly longer. Cas's whole getup made him look like sex on a stick.

Dean, on the other hand, hated his very feminine ensemble. Where Cas's clothes seemed to be a cotton/polyester blend, Dean's was definitely more polyester/spandex – and how the hell did he know those terms? Was he a seamstress in a past life? Whatever. His pants were tight around his ass, no doubt highlighting it the same way Cas's highlighted his. However, where Cas's pants were completely straight-legged, Dean's tapered out into a subtle, but still noticeable, flare. They were forest green with a teal seam running down the outside of each leg.

His shirt had a collar that was _very_ wide and semi-low cut. If it were just a few centimeters wider it would be falling off his shoulders, and it was low enough that his entire collarbone was exposed. It was forest green as well but the upper back was teal, and the sleeves were teal form the elbows down. It was the sleeves that Dean hated the most. They were full-length and flared dramatically all the way down to his wrists. He thinks. They were too wide to even touch his wrists! Unless he held his arms out wide. Which he did as he got a look at himself in the mirror. Yep, definitely touching his wrists, and with his arms out wide, the flared sleeves swooped down and dangled at nearly the same level as his hips.

“Dude, we gotta talk about this.”

“Talk about what, Dean?” Cas asked, seemingly oblivious to Dean's indignation.

“Dude, _this._ This- this _getup_ they've got me in. What the hell?!” He turned to Charlie, who had finally looked up from her notes in order to take in Dean's dramatics. “Charlie, man, do I really have to wear this?”

With barely concealed laughter, Charlie responded, “Yes, Dean. It's standard attire for all Omegas, just like Cas's uniform is standard for Alphas, and what I'm wearing is for Betas.”

“I think you look amazing, Dean. That green really _does_ bring out your eyes.” Cas's compliment was sincere. He thought Dean look positively delectable, and he couldn't wait until they were alone again so he could snatch those clothes right back off him.

Dean scoffed at the compliment but did seem to calm a little. He took another look at himself in the mirror, then heaved a sigh as he accepted his predicament. Well, sort of. He'd still grumble about it every chance he got, but for now, he would let it slide. “Alright fine. Whatever. What's next? Food?” He looked back and forth between the Beta and the Alpha expectantly, as if one of them would magically make his food materialize. “Food, right?”

“Yep, food's next. You guys can eat while we talk.” Charlie stood up with her clipboard and made her way to the door. “If you'll follow me...”

She led them back out of the door they'd entered through, and back out into the short hallway. She made a beeline for the other door, which was situated at the halfway point, before pulling out a card, attached to a bungee lanyard that was clipped to her pocket. She swiped the card in front of the blank, black pad next to the door, which produced a dull clicking noise before swinging open, into the space beyond. The three of them stepped through the door and it swung shut behind them, latching closed as it locked in place once more.

The space was massive, especially when compared to the space that Dean and Cas have shared, and it had the feel of a large lobby from some fancy corporate office building, complete with floor-to-ceiling windows, except they couldn't see the door that led outside. Which was for the best, since the sky was overcast and it seemed to be raining.

It appeared that they entered through a side door to the lobby, or whatever it was. There was a large staircase that went up and to the left, leading to another level and a walkway that looked out on the area below, which is where they were standing. The banister and railings were glass, the steps and floors where a grey and white marble. The space oozed corporate, but a fancy corporate. It all just seemed very clean-cut and sterile.

But what got their attention the most were the people.

They were everywhere. Going up and down the steps, coming out of doorways further down the lobby, all of them busy and all of them seeming to have someplace to be, something to do, each of them with a different Designation. Alphas, Omegas, and a few Betas each swirling about in a flurry of noises and a buzzing of voices.

Charlie charged ahead, but Dean and Cas remained frozen by the door through which they'd just entered. It was all just a lot to take in. After spending so long isolated from other people, with just the two of them as company – with the obvious exception of when Cas met Alfie – it was suddenly very daunting to be in the presence of so many people again, and all at once.

And there were smells. Everywhere. Sweet, musky, spicy, citrusy, salty, tangy, flowery scents. It seemed like it should have been overpowering, but it wasn't. It was cloying and a lot to take in, but not overpowering. It did, however, make them want to cover their noses to fend off the barrage of odors which were starting to make their noses twitch and burn slightly.

Halfway across the room, Charlie stopped, suddenly realizing that her charges were no longer by her side. She turned around in a complete circle before finding the pair right where she'd left them by the door. She rushed back to them, a knowing smile plastered to her face. “Yeah, I know. It's a lot to take in, right?”

Cas and Dean each nodded, not looking at the Beta at all. Instead, their eyes were roaming about the space as they tried to process what they were seeing and smelling.

“Sorry, I forgot to warn you. Don't worry, you'll get used to the scents. Or so I'm told. I can't really smell anything.”

That got their attention. They each snapped their eyes back to the Beta, incredulity clear on their faces.

“You can't smell all of this?” Dean asked, gesturing at the area in general.

“What do you mean exactly?” Cas prompted.

“Well, Betas don't smell pheromones. At least not on the level that Alphas and Omegas can.” At the twin expressions of confusion that she was met with, Charlie chuckled a bit before saying, “Why don't we keep moving, okay? We can get some food in you while I explain a few things.”

Dean and Cas exchanged a look before meeting Charlie's gaze and nodding.

“Great!” Charlie announced, clapping her hands together in front of her. “Let's get going then.” The Beta turned around again and resumed her trek across the lobby, this time peeking behind herself a few times to make sure the pair were still following.

As they passed through the lobby, the trio got a few curious glances from passerby. Most of them merely stared, uncaring, while many ignored them altogether. Some of them, however, smiled warmly, uttering a short greeting or even a friendly “Welcome,” to Dean and Cas as the trio passed by.

They passed beneath the staircase as they made their way through the lobby. Once they'd reached the other end, they entered an open corridor and continued their walk. The smells and sounds were still present, but not as cloying or as loud since there weren't as many people down that way, though they still passed a few.

Charlie led them down to a door with a placard next to it that read, “Conference Room J”. She pressed down on the door handle and swung the door open, gesturing with her arms for them to enter ahead of her.

The room contained a large television screen suspended from the ceiling on the left. In the center of the room was a large conference table, elongated and oval, with a tablet resting on top. To the far right of the room was another floor-to-ceiling window that took up the whole wall, and it was showcasing a brilliant and sunny afternoon sky, with a grassy field and gentle breeze blowing through it, bending the tall, green blades.

“Wait...” Dean squinted at the window, brow furrowing slightly, before continuing. “It was raining just a second ago. We saw that through the windows in the lobby. What happened?”

“Oh, crap. Hold on.” Charlie moved past the two and rushed over to the window. Once she reached it, she banged on it once with an open palm. A ripple of color erupted from the point of contact and spread out to the edges of the glass before going still once more. When nothing else happened Charlie grunted in mild frustration before repeating the action once, twice, three more times before finally the scene outside changed. The view shifted and the sunny field gradually darkened and became slick and rain-soaked. “There we go. That's better.”

Dean and Cas stood slack-jawed, staring and the window in astonishment. “What...” Cas tried, but was unable to finish his thought.

“What the _hell_!” Dean supplied.

“Yes, that!” Cas nodded emphatically, pointing to his mate. “What he said.”

“Yeah. Sorry about that. All of the displays are supposed to show the same scene, but this one's been on the fritz. Someone was supposed to fix it ages ago, but...” Charlie trailed off with a shrug of her shoulders, as if anything she had just said explained what just happened.

“Yeah, no, try again,” Dean snarked.

After a second of confusion, Charlie finally caught on. “Oh! Yeah. Sorry. These aren't windows we're seeing. They're just displays. They're supposed to simulate windows and a scenic view of 'outside' so that we forget that we're underground. People tend to go a little nuts if they don't get a glimpse of the sun every now and then. Or, ya know, weather.” Charlie jerked her thumb in the direction of the display behind her.

“A display?”

“Underground?!” The last part said by Dean. He looked up to the ceiling as if he could suddenly see the piles of dirt and rock above their heads. “How far underground exactly?”

“Yes, a display,” she answered Cas first, then to Dean she said, “I'm not sure of the exact number, but a few thousand feet, at least.”

“A few _thousand_ feet?!” Dean exclaimed, and if anyone commented on the way his voice squeaked as he spoke, he would vehemently deny it. Luckily, though, no one mentioned it.

“At least. And I know, this is all a lot, but please just sit down and try to relax, okay. Stay calm.” She gestured to the table, which was lined with chairs all the way around.

Begrudgingly, Dean and Cas each took a chair next to each other, facing the door. Charlie sat in a chair opposite them, setting her clipboard down and clasping her hands together in front of her on the tabletop.

“So,” she began, “your food is on the way up from the kitchens right now. We can talk and get a few questions answered while we wait, it'll only take a few minutes though, so don't worry, you won't starve.” Charlie smiled again, reassuringly. “Okay so, before I get into my schpiel, or so I don't _have_ to go into the schpiel, is there anything, in particular, you'd like to know?”

Castiel and Dean looked at each other for a moment, then seemed to wordlessly come to an agreement.

“What are we doing here? What is the purpose of... all of this?” Cas fielded the question, gesturing to the room, their clothes, the facility in general. Just... everything, all encompassed in that one sweeping gesture.

“Alrighty, so, schpiel it is,” Charlie said cheerfully. “Also, I just like to say 'schpiel'. It's a fun word. Schpiel. Hehe.” Charlie shook herself, then said, “Sorry, sorry. Anyways, you are here as a part of a recovery effort.”

“Recovery?” Dean asked.

“Recovery from what?”

“Well, from... everything.” After a moment, she took a breath and continued. “There was a disease. A virus, actually. A very deadly virus. It wiped out most of the human population.” She paused briefly to let that sink in before delivering the biggest whammy. “There are only a few thousand people left on the planet.”

“That... that can't be,” Cas breathed. His voice was low and barely audible. He sat back in his chair, seemingly slumping in on himself.

“No, it _can't_ be, Cas. That's bullshit!”

“Guys-”

“No! There wasn't some damn _extinction._ What do you take us for?” Dean bolted out of his chair, causing it to roll back and smack into the wall, leaving a small dent in the plaster. “Tell us what the hell is really going on here!” He leaned down on the table, supporting his weight with his fists, staring Charlie down.

The Beta sighed, then reached forward and grabbed the tablet that was still resting on the table in front of them. She woke it up, lighting the darkened screen, then after inputting a few commands, she set it back down on the table as the television on the wall lit up. On it, there was displayed what looked like a scene from a disaster movie, where the monster or the storm had ravaged the land, leaving nothing but fire and rubble in its place. Then the screen flickered and another scene was shown, and another. It cycled through countless scenes, different locations, each one just as devastating than the last.

“What is that?” Cas inquired, his voice still low.

Dean had grabbed his chair and rolled it back in to place before he slumped heavily back into it as he stared at the screen.

“That,” Charlie explained, “is what remains of the world.”

 

~*~*~*~

 

It didn't take too long for their food to get there, although neither of them had an appetite after that bomb was just dropped in their laps. They picked at their food while Charlie continued with her explanations and answered any and all questions that were presented to her.

The virus, by the name of Ares QX-87, had wiped out most of the world's human population. It spread so quickly because it was _extremely_ contagious, but remained dormant in the body for _days_ or weeks before any symptoms manifested. When symptoms finally did begin showing up, many people simply mistook it for the flu. It had many of the same symptoms: fever, coughing, sneezing, aches and pains, headache, etc. Except it killed in just a few days when the fever refused to break. It basically cooked the victim alive from the inside out. Nothing could bring down the fever; not medicine, not ice packs, nor a roll in the snow. And definitely not prayer or new-agey herbs.

But, the biggest factor that contributed to contracting the virus, was that delayed effect that it had. That delay allowed people to come in contact with the more and more people each day, as they went about their business, blissfully unaware that they were carrying and spreading a deadly pathogen. It moved amongst the population with the speed and effectiveness of a biological weapon.

Because it was.

Brink Economic Solutions. A government agency, led by a man named Richard Roman, that specialized in the creation of weapons of war. They usually stuck to the more mainstream weapons – you know, stuff that goes 'boom'! But their client – the US government, of course – decided they wanted to try their hand at biological warfare. And they paid the price.

There were very few people who actually contracted the virus _and_ survived, and even fewer who were immune. Those who survived where rendered sterile, unable to reproduce after the intense fever ravaged their bodies. As for those who were immune, their immunity wasn't discovered until it was too late to create a vaccine, or better yet, a cure.

The only people that had been left on the planet were those who were infected but survived and those who were immune.

“So... what does that have to do with us?” Dean inquired.

“Well, you two were each infected. But you survived.”

Dean and Cas looked at each, obviously finding that hard to believe.

“I think I'd remember nearly dying from-”

“But you don't remember anything at all, do you?” Charlie interjected, raising an eyebrow.

Oh yeah, they'd almost forgotten that they'd... well, forgotten.

“Why can't we remember anything?” Cas asked.

“Well, in order to become a member of this - or any - facility we all had to go through a bit of... cleansing. That included cleansing our bodies, as well as our minds. The Council decided that it would be best if everyone started their new lives with a clean slate. They thought it would be disastrous to bring in the old baggage, ideology, and prejudices from the old world, and use all of that to taint the new world that we're trying to create. All of that is what started this in the first place: hatred and outdated teachings. The government created that bio-weapon for an act of _war_ , of _hatred._ So, we wanted to leave all of that behind before moving forward.”

“Okay,” Cas said slowly, processing what he'd just heard. “So, what about these changes to our bodies? Is this how we were supposed to 'get better'? That's what Alfie said. That we need to 'get better'”

“Oh yeah, Alfie. He's a sweet guy. So that's who you were assigned to in Phase Two then?” Cas nodded and Charlie continued. “Yes. That's part of it. We needed a way to raise the population again, or face extinction, but just the few who were immune weren't enough to build the population as much as we needed to without risking eventual inbreeding. So those who were infected, who had become sterile, had to change, in order to become fertile again. That's where the Alpha and Omega Designations come in.

“Two people are paired together, based on their genetic profiles, so that they have the potential to produce the healthiest offspring possible, then one of them receives an Omega implant and the other receives an Alpha implant. Who gets which implant is completely random.”

“You mean these glowing things under our skin?” Dean asked, raising his wrist to show the three vertical dots, steadily pulsing beneath his skin.

“Yes. That's it. You were given the Omega implant, and Castiel,” she turned to the Alpha, “you were given the Alpha implant.”

“But... but how did that change us?” Cas asked.

“Well, the implants were equipped with robotic nanites, along with a few synthetic proteins, which altered your genetic structures, causing the changes that you've both experienced. The respective heats and ruts that you both went through – you know, those times when it felt like it was getting hotter, and then your, um, libidos ratcheted up to about a billion? – yeah, well, in _your_ cases, each time that happened, you were experiencing the nanites and proteins activating to change you a little more each time, and it also served as your _first_ heat and rut.”

“Wait, wait – the _first_?! You mean that crap is gonna happen again?”

“Yep. Every three months. Well, actually-” Charlie paused a moment to take a peek at some of the notes on her clipboard, then said, “Castiel will experience a rut every three months, but you, Dean, won't have to go through another heat for nine months yet! Congratulations, by the way! There are lots of other pregnant Omegas and Betas that you can-”

It took a few moments for Dean's and Cas's brains to kick back into gear, but once their circuits reconnected, they immediately jumped on Charlie with a barrage of questions:

“Wait, nine months?”

“ _Pregnant_?!?!?”

“Charlie... Could you please explain that?”

“Who the hell is pregnant?!”

“I- I don't understand.”

“ _I_ sure the hell ain't _pregnant!!_ ”

“Ummm......” Charlie looked back and forth between the two, her eyes wide with shock and horror. “I. Am. _So._ Sorry!”

“Charlie... explain!” Cas demanded of the Beta, who legitimately looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

“Well... I thought you would have figured it out! Usually, Alphas and Omegas can tell. Didn't you notice that he smells different?”

Cas turned to Dean, eyes wide. “Yeah. I _have_ noticed. I- I first noticed it before we were both knocked out. But then that voice said Phase One was completed right as I was trying to say something about it.” His head snapped back to Charlie, who still looked slightly like a spooked deer. “That's what that scent means?”

Charlie nodded. “Yeah. It is.”

“Shit! But... but I'm a _guy_!”

They were both silent as they absorbed this newest mind-fuck. After a few moments, Cas reached across the small space separating them and took Dean's hand in his. “It'll be okay, Dean. We'll figure this out.”

“It will _not_ be okay!” Dean declared, standing quickly and causing his chair to roll back and smack into the wall once more, deepening the dent that his earlier outburst had caused. He dislodged his hand from Cas's as he began pacing and gesturing wildly. “It's _not_ gonna be okay. Okay?! It's _not_! First off: the planet's been destroyed by some monster _virus_? Then you tell me that I- that _we_ were infected, but survived?! And we gotta come to this place to 'get better' and you put these- these _things_ in our bodies that change our genetic code? _What_?! Now you're telling me _that I'm pregnant_?!!??!?!”

“Dean-” But Cas was interrupted.

“WHERE'S IT EVEN GONNA COME OUT?!?!”

“Oooh, that I can answer!” Charlie declared excitedly, nearly jumping out of her chair in her enthusiasm to try and placated the irate Omega. “I have a diagram!” Charlie grabbed the tablet once more and input a few more commands before another display popped up on the television screen.

It was a set of four diagrams of reproductive organs. They were labeled clearly as “Omega Female Reproductive System”, “Omega Male Reproductive System”, “Alpha Female Reproductive System”, and “Alpha Male Reproductive System”.

“Okay, so,” Charlie began, “you, Dean, are an Omega male, so we'll just be focusing on that diagram for the moment.” She pulled a small laser pointer out of one of her pants pockets and used it to indicate the sections of the diagram she wished to discuss. “Here you can see the uterus of the Omega male... which leads to the cloacal flap... which opens into the rectum. _That_ is where the baby will come from. Or bab _ies_ , in the case of multiples.” Charlie turned off her pointer and turned back to Dean, who had stopped his pacing in order to view the short presentation. She beamed at the Omega, clearly pleased with herself. “Did that clear things up a bit?”

“So... you're telling me...” Dean began, clearly still upset about this information, “that it's gonna come outta... _my_ _ass_?! Are you fucking _kidding_ _me_?! Also, what the hell do you mean by 'multiples'?!”

Charlie's face fell a bit when she realized that she did nothing to help soothe the rattled nerves of the pregnant and irate Omega. “Well... multiples are quite common among Omegas. There's a very good chance that you're pregnant with more than one pup.”

“Pup?” Cas asked, confused by the new terminology.

“Oh, yeah,” Charlie chuckled a bit, relieved by the innocence of the question, which could potentially lead to calmer discussion. “We've affectionately started calling children 'pups' around here, because of the similarities that the Alphas and Omegas share with wolves. You know: mates, knotting, heats, biting, et cetera.”

“Really! That's where your minds go? I'm probably gonna drop a freaking _litter_ here, and you're worried about what their freaking _called_?!” Dean continued pacing, running his hands through his head periodically, his breathing getting heavier with each passing moment. “How am I... even... gonna... _goddamit_!” Dean was still breathing heavily, his vision was beginning to get blurry around the edges, and a thin sheen of sweat could be seen on his brow. He swayed slightly where he stood and had to brace himself on the table to keep from falling.

“Dean!” Cas jumped up and moved to help his mate before he fell and hurt himself, or possibly their pups.

Charlie also jumped up to help simultaneously. She moved around the table and to the Omega's side, opposite Cas. “Sit down. Please, Dean.” She pulled up the seat that he had vacated, until it was directly behind him again. “You're having a panic attack. You need to put your head between your knees and try to take deep breaths, okay?”

Dean was going to protest and refuse the suggestion to sit, but then Cas said, “Listen to her Dean. You need to relax. Just have a seat.”

Reluctantly, Dean took his seat again, taking a deep lung full of much-needed oxygen as he did. He still ignored the instructions from Charlie to put his head between his knees, though. Instead, he leaned back all the way, hanging his head over the back of the chair and closing his eyes. He then reached up to run both of his hands roughly through his hair yet again.

Cas and Charlie took their seats as well, exchanging nervous glances as they patiently waited for Dean to regain some composure. Neither of them said a thing, but Cas reached over and rested a comforting hand on Dean's knee as he waited, stroking a thumb over the fleshy part on the side, where the cap met the thigh. The gesture had the desired effect, and Dean was able to calm himself considerably.

After he took a few moments to collect himself, Dean sat back up and looked at the Beta, refusing to meet Cas's eyes. “Okay, so what are my options?”

Cas and Charlie glanced at each other again before Charlie answered him. “What do you mean?”

Dean scoffed, then said, “Well, what if I don't wanna... you know... have it- them- whatever!”

“Dean, you can't just-” Cas removed his hand from Dean's knee and sat back, as if stung, obviously hurt by what Dean was suggesting, but the Omega didn't let him finish his thought.

“Can't I, Cas? It's _my_ body, right? My choice? I _have_ a choice, don't I? What if I choose 'No'?” After a moment of silence from both the Alpha and the Beta, Dean continued, “Look, I'm not saying that that's what I _will_ choose, I just wanna know what my freaking options are here! Is this place even equipped for something like that?”

“Well, Dean,” Charlie began, “the thing is...” she paused for a moment, apparently unsure of how to continue. After a moment of deliberation, she decided to just plow ahead. “The thing is, you really... _don't_ have a choice here.” She winced a bit, preparing for the outburst that she knew was going to come.

“What the hell's that supposed to mean? How don't I have a choice?! Every _woman_ has a choice. Do I not have one because I'm a _man_? Is that it?!”

“No, no, that's not it at all!” Charlie said, trying to placate. “The thing is... I mean, the whole _point_ of this place is repopulation. It would be completely counter-productive if we let people have abortions for anything other than medical emergencies. The only way you – or anyone, man or woman – would be permitted to terminate a pregnancy, would be if carrying to term would cause a threat to your life. Even then, every alternative would be explored, including the transplantation the fetus to a womb that _can_ carry it to term. And _anything_ else that can be done to save its life. I'm sorry, Dean, but... _those_ are your options, as limited as they are.”

“Okay, so I can have someone else carry it, then. Right?”

Charlie took a deep breath, and the look on her face told Dean what he needed to know even before she opened her mouth to say, “Well... no. That's a very serious medical procedure, and can only be attempted in emergency situations. Not to mention finding a willing volunteer that's not already pregnant with their own offspring.”

“Wow!” Dean exclaimed incredulously. “That's rich! You know I didn't even ask for this, right? Right?! I should have a choice in... _something_ here!” He gestured wildly around them, as if encompassing the world in general. He leaned forward and put his elbows on the table as he rested his head in his hands. He whispered, “I didn't ask for this!”

“Well, Dean...” Charlie began, tentatively, as if she didn't want to say anything at all, “I hate how this is going to sound, but I've gotta say it.” Dean and Cas both looked up at her expectantly. “The thing is... you _did_ ask for this.”

The Alpha and Omega looked at her as if she'd grown three extra heads. “What do you _mean_ I asked for this?” Dean asked, a deep frown marring his features. “How the hell could I have _asked_ for this? _Any_ of this?!”

“That's something else I can show you. Just hold on one sec and I'll pull that up.” She reached for the tablet once again and entered in yet another set of commands. The reproductive diagrams on the television disappeared and were promptly replaced with a video.

It was paused at the beginning, on the image of a man, from the chest up. The Alpha and Omega both gasped as they beheld the face of Dean, stubble-chinned, leather jacket, black and red plaid shirt and a cocky grin, which seemed to be aimed at a person just off-screen.

“What is this?” Dean asked, slightly awestruck.

“This,” Charlie answered, “is your entrance interview.”

“My what?”

“Just... just watch, and you'll see.” She turned her attention back to the tablet for a moment and pressed play.

On the television, the still picture jumped to life, and Dean's deep voice resonated through Conference Room J. “ _Hello, my name is Dean Winchester. I'm an Aquarius_ ,” his smirk deepened, “ _and I think I'd be a great candidate to ride out the end of the world_.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the images used, I just wanted to note that the penis of the Alpha female is retractable. Not sure if that was clear in the image.
> 
> About abortion: Regardless of the social, political and ethical consequences, it just makes sense for abortion to be illegal in this kind of scenario. Since they ARE trying to rebuild the human population, it just wouldn't make sense for them to allow the termination of pregnancies. I'm sorry if this is triggering for anyone.
> 
> Also, I feel I should mention that Charlie doesn't know about what happened to Dean. The only ones who know about that part of Phase 2 are the Alphas (like Alistair) who are a part of that portion of the phase, and the people who are in charge.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, guys! A few more answers incoming, including a partial explanation of Phase Two. Although, the horrors that were inflicted upon Dean will play into the plot later on. Just be patient with me, okay?
> 
> Also, I try to post every week on either Thursday or Friday, but I MAY need to start posting on Saturdays starting next week due to a scheduling conflict. Hopefully I'll be able to keep to the current schedule, but I'm not sure yet, so just be aware of the possibility.

Cas and Dean stared, slack-jawed, as the video version of Dean spoke to the camera. He was cocky and mouthy and openly flirtatious. His hair was playfully tousled as if he'd ran his hands through it multiple times, he sported a nice layer of stubble on his chin and he wore a leather jacket with a plaid shirt underneath. The rest of his body was obstructed by the metal table in front of him. He was leaning on it with his elbows as his eyes slid from the camera lens to the interviewer who was standing to the right, off camera.

“ _I definitely wouldn't mind riding it out here if I had_ you _for company, sweetheart._ ” Dean winked at the interviewer and flashed a salacious smile her way.

“ _That's nice Mr. Winchester,_ ” the interviewer sounded bored, as if she'd been dealing with the man's shenanigans all day and had, therefore, developed an immunity to his charms, “ _but you've already been selected as a candidate for our program. We just need to ask a few routine questions before we can begin._ ”

“ _Ask away,_ ” Dean leaned back as he gave the go-ahead, leaving just one arm stretched out on the table, while the other elbow was hooked over the back of his chair. “ _I'm an open book._ ”

“ _Alright. First, you_ are _aware of the extreme nature of our program, correct? That you will be sealed away in one of our facilities indefinitely?_ ”

“ _Oh yeah. I'm fully aware. Sure beats bein' left out there,_ ” Dean jerked his thumb in what was probably the general direction of outside. “ _Have you_ been _out there lately?_ ” He shuddered dramatically. “ _No thanks. I'd rather take my chances in here, thank you very much._ ”

“ _Okay, good. And you are also fully aware that your memories, including experiences and loved ones, everything from the outside world – all of it – will be completely erased?_ ”

Dean finally became serious as he answered. “ _Yes, I'm aware of that as well._ ” He looked away for a moment, towards the wall, as if lost in thought. “ _There are some things I'd rather not remember._ ” A dark shadow passed over his face, as if haunted by some unseen specter from his past.

“ _Very well. And you are also aware that you will be injected with a tracking device so that we can monitor your location at all times?_ ”

“ _Yep,_ ” Dean answered shortly, seeming to lose his patience.

“ _You are also aware that you will be receiving various subdermal implants, which will regulate your hormones and your body temperature, as well as use nanotechnology to alter and/or repair any and all damaged organs that you may have now or in the future, as well as add any necessary organs, or remove any organs that may be deemed unnecessary?_ ”

“ _Yeah, I'm aware of all that, sweetheart. But listen, I wasn't given too much info on exactly what_ kind _of organs would be added or removed, and that sounds kinda... well weird. So could you-_ ”

“ _That information is classified, I am unable to divulge-_ ”

“ _Yeah, yeah. Classified. Got it. Whatever._ ” Dean waved a dismissive hand in the air to fend off the oncoming slew of legal jargon. “ _Let's just get this show on the road already!_ ” Before the interviewer could continue, Dean seemed to have thought of something and interrupted her once again. “ _Wait! My brother. He's gonna be taken care of too, right?_ ”

“ _Yes. As we've told you before, your brother,_ ” the interviewer paused for a moment, and the rustling of papers could be heard before she continued, “ _Sam Winchester, will also be given a place in one of our facilities. So you have nothing to worry about._ ”

“ _Alright._ ” Dean relaxed back into his chair before saying, “ _Well, let's get goin'._ ”

“ _Very well, Mr. Winchester. The next step-_ ”

The video was cut off there. Charlie set the tablet down and looked to Dean and Cas for their reactions.

As expected, they both appeared to be frozen in place, uncertain of what to do. Unable to process what they'd just seen, the information they were just given. What were they _supposed_ to do with that information?

“So...” Cas began after a few moments of silence, “do I have a video like that as well?”

“Of course. Would you like to see it?”

“Uh, no. No. I don't think so.”

“That's fine, but if you ever change your mind, you're welcome to view it later. Just ask.”

Cas nodded thoughtfully, then said, “Does everyone have a video like this. Even you?”

“Yes. We all do. Everyone here had to go through similar processes.” Charlie answered. “Well, except for the Betas like me and, apparently, Dean's brother. We had to have our memories erased, just like you, but we didn't have to go through the Conversion process.”

“Conversion process?” Cas asked.

“Yes, the process of becoming either an Alpha or an Omega, which you and Dean have recently completed.”

Cas nodded again, seeming to accept what he had just been told. He then turned to his mate, concerned, and asked, “Dean? Are you alright? I know this has all been a lot to take in.”

Dean, who had remained silent throughout the exchange, finally spoke up. “I have a brother?”

“Yes,” Charlie supplied. “Sam.”

“Can...” he swallowed and licked his lips, “can I see him?” The shock of being pregnant suddenly took a back seat to the fact that Dean had other family somewhere.

Charlie looked saddened at this request. She took a small breath before answering. “I'm afraid not, Dean. I'm sorry.”

Dean scoffed. “Well why the hell not?”

“Well, the first reason is that Sam was assigned to a different facility. There are 6 in total, in case you're wondering. The second is that he has also had his memories of you erased, so even if you did contact him, he wouldn't know you. And the third reason is...” Charlie stopped to think for a moment before she continued. “The whole reason we have to go through the memory erasure is because we're expected to start a whole new life here. A new future, without bringing the past along to weigh us down. All of the horrible things of the past will _remain_ in the past. Sexism, racism, xenophobia, homophobia – all of those things are tied to a previous life, and many of those prejudices are attached to memories of family, friends, past experiences, and a whole host of other factors. We had to sacrifice the good, in order to ensure that the bad would never resurface again.”

“But not everybody has those negative thoughts.”

“Actually, they do. Or _did_ at least. The thing is, _everyone_ had a prejudice, in one form or another. _Everyone_. Like, when people used to say, 'Oh only _some_ people feel _this_ way or _that_ way', it was actually causing more harm than good, because, for example, if we take racism, we _could_ say only _some_ people would judge a person by the color of their skin, but then even the people who _were_ racist, but didn't realize it, could rationalize their own behavior by lumping themselves in with the 'non-racists', saying 'Oh that doesn't apply to _me_ , though'. And when that happened, they would fail to examine their own thoughts and behaviors, which would then lead to a failure to change and better themselves. When the fact is: _everyone_ had a bit of racism in them, in one form or another, even if they didn't realize it. Same goes for sexism, homophobia, and all the other prejudices that were learned from our families, past experiences and from society in general.”

Dean huffed, becoming even more frustrated. “Fine! But what does any of that have to do with me not being allowed to see my brother?!”

“Because, if we interact with people from our pasts, then it could rekindle any and all negative influences we could have had on each other, which could cause us to fall back on old habits. Messing with memories is a tricky business, and any number of things could go wrong if we introduce elements from our past back into our lives. It's like a wall that's been put up and interacting with old friends and family members is like throwing a battering ram against it. Eventually, the wall could come tumbling down, shattering into dust, and causing any number of mental disorders; from psychosis to schizophrenia.” Charlie paused for a moment to look Dean directly in the eyes to make sure he understood. “Dean, you cannot, under any circumstances, have any contact with your brother. Okay?”

Frustration built up even more in Dean's chest, and tears prickled the backs of his eyes, threatening to fall, but he refused to let them. He leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table and resting his head in his hands once again. He was feeling lost and defeated. He could argue and protest the injustice of it all until he was blue in the face, but it wouldn't change anything, would it?

“Fine,” Dean grumbled, relenting.

“Okay,” Charlie breathed, seeming relieved. “I think this is a good time to take a break, don't you?”

 

~*~*~*~

 

Sometime later, Dean and Cas were able to finish their abandoned meals. Then, the same Omega who had served them – with the emblem of two concentric circles on her sleeve, a symbol of service status – came and took away their dishes. Afterwards, the three of them took a short bathroom break, each of them using one of the three lavatories – one for each of the primary designations: Alpha, Beta and Omega. It was surprising to see that there were actual toilets and sinks in the bathrooms, instead of the strange fountains that they'd become accustomed to.

When they'd finished, they reconvened back in Conference Room J. Dean and Cas took their same seats, but Charlie remained standing as she addressed the mated pair once again. “Okay, now that that's done, do you guys have any other questions before we move on?”

“Yeah,” Dean spoke up, “what's with the toilets in the John? And the sinks? I was expecting some more of those weird-o water dealies, like we had in our room.”

“Oh, that's easy,” Charlie chuckled, “magic!”

Dean and Cas stared at the Beta incredulously. “...Magic?” Dean asked sardonically.

“Yep. Magic.” Charlie answered, matter-of-factly.

“You're joking, right?” Dean asked.

“Nope. It was magic.”

“Okay, but-”

“Magic.”

Dean and Cas looked at each other, then back at Charlie. Cas then said, “Alriiiight...”

“Any other questions?” Charlie asked, beaming at them.

After a moment of consideration, Cas asked, “Yes. Why was I put in a room and told to 'mate' with Alfie? I just don't see the point in that. The whole 'Phase Two' thing.”

“Oh yeah! I'd nearly forgotten about that, haha. I'm glad you asked,” Charlie took her seat once more as she continued. “It's part of the reason I was so excited to meet you guys. It's really rare for an Alpha to resist the way you did. I mean it happens, but there's only, like, one other Alpha in this entire facility who's done it. I think there are only a handful of others in some of our sister facilities who've been able to do it as well. You, my dear Alpha, are a rare breed!” The Beta beamed.

Dean and Cas glanced at each other again before returning their gazes to Charlie. “Okaaay... but what does that have to do with-”

“Oh right, right,” Charlie cut off Dean's inquiry with a wave of her hand, “I'm getting ahead of myself, here. Okay, so, Phase Two was merely a _test_ phase.”

“A test phase? A test for what?” Cas asked, eyes narrowed.

“Well, testing you to see if you would take the bait, of course. Like I said, most Alphas take it.”

“The bait? As in Alfie? You were using him as bait? For what?”

“Like I said, it was a test. If you had taken the bait, then you'd be put back in the roster for mating assignment and you'd keep repeating Phases One and Two until you no longer felt the need to 'mate' with the bait Omega. In that instance, I'd only be having this conversation with Dean right now. But since you _didn't_ take the bait, that means you're one of the rare Alphas who wouldn't do well with multiple mates.”

“B-but,” stuttered Dean, trying to wrap his head around this new knowledge, “then what would happen if- so I mean...”

“That means you would have had to share Castiel with other Omegas,” Charlie supplied, seeming to catch on to what Dean was having trouble articulating. “Maybe even five or six others.”

Both Cas and Dean's eyes grew wide at that. Castiel was the first to recover. “ _Five or six_?! I would have had to mate with _five or six_ other Omegas, besides Dean?!”

“Well, that's the max anyone has ever had. It could have been just one or two others; but yeah, six was a possibility.

“So, how would that have worked? What would've happened as he mated with one Omega after the next? What would've happened to _me_?”

“You'd be given this orientation that you're having now, except you'd be alone. Then you'd be taken to your housing unit where you'd rest until given your job assignment – everyone here has to work. In the meantime, you'd meet your Alpha's other mates, one by one, as they were oriented and brought to your housing unit as well. And actually, since you're a single pair, the unit you'll be assigned is going to be slightly smaller than average.”

Dean and Cas sat there, looking stunned and a bit lost as they absorbed the latest bit of information. Charlie waited patiently for them to get their thoughts together enough for one of them to speak again. It was Cas who finally broke the stunned silence.

“I don't like that at all. Any of it.”

“My head is starting to hurt,” Dean complained, rubbing his temples. “It's just a good thing you didn't give in.”

“Yes,” Cas agreed, “it is.”

“Wait,” Dean said, having suddenly thought of something, “does that mean the other Alphas here all...”

“You wanna know if they all have multiple Omegas?” Dean nodded. “Yes. They do. Well, all but one, as I've said. I'm sure you'll meet her, and her mate.”

Dean thought for a moment then said, “Why wasn't _I_ tested for anything?”

Charlie shrugged. “There's nothing for you to be tested for. It wouldn't work for an Omega to have multiple Alphas. The only reason an Alpha is usually assigned multiple Omegas is so that he or she can have as many mates to – ya know – _mate_ with and create as many offspring as possible. For that whole repopulation thing we talked about earlier.”

“Well why _assign_ mates at all?” Dean demanded, though with a hint of sarcasm, crossing his arms over his chest. “Why not just let people choose their _own_ fuck buddies?”

Charlie chuckled at that before answering. “Fuck buddies! That's a good one.”

Charlie's laughter seemed to calm Dean a bit. Dean even found himself stifling his own grin, though he did uncross his arms. The Beta's amusement was contagious, damn her!

“So, assigning mates,” Charlie began once she'd regained her composure, “simply causes less strife within a community. There's less chance of conflict caused by fighting over mates if everyone already _has_ a mate, or multiple mates.”

“Would there really be _so_ much conflict that you'd need to implement such an extreme social structure?” Cas asked.

“Most definitely. Alphas are stereotypically very possessive and territorial. Not to mention pretty hot-headed and aggressive. Conflict would definitely be a major issue if not nipped in the bud.”

Cas bristled a bit. “I really don't think I could be considered 'hot-headed'.”

“Well I did say 'stereotypically',” Charlie responded placatingly. “Not everyone fits into the mold. You are an obvious exception to most rules here. But most Alphas fit that proverbial mold perfectly.” Charlie wisely avoided mentioning that Cas seemed to be getting upset pretty easily at the moment. “Omegas, on the other hand, are stereotypically more submissive and docile. Though, they are fiercely protective of their homes and especially their pups.” She looked pointedly at Dean as she said that last part.

Dean shifted uncomfortably in his seat and diligently avoided the subject of his pregnancy. Instead he grumbled, “I'd hardly call myself 'submissive'.”

“Didn't you enjoy it when Cas dominated you during sex?” Charlie gave a small smirk and waggled her eyebrows in Dean's direction.

Well, damn. The woman was blunt! “Uuuhh,” Dean began blushing profusely and elected not to comment further on the subject.

Charlie chuckled again. “Don't worry, I didn't watch you personally. I just gave the last few days of your video feed a cursory glance, just so I could know who I'm talking to. Also, you'll get more privacy inside your housing unit. Someone's always watching you while in this facility, but when you're in your home, you have complete privacy. Speaking of which,” the Beta stood as if to leave, “if there aren't other burning questions you guys need answers to, we really should get moving. I need to show you around some more, give you a bit of a tour before showing you where you'll be living.” She looked at them expectantly. “Are you guys ready?”

Dean and Cas looked at each other, shrugged, then got up from their chairs. Once they did, Charlie opened the door and stepped out into the corridor once again. She took off to the right, further down the hall and further away from the lobby. Dean and Cas followed close behind her. She led them through a series of corridors and other open spaces, speaking the entire way and explaining everything they passed.

They even walked through spaces that made it seem like they were outdoors. These spaces were used for farming and housing livestock. Charlie explained that the facility was completely self-sustaining, so they were able to grow or raise everything they needed to keep everyone fed, clothed and happy within these walls.

Eventually, they passed what looked like an auditorium. The Beta explained that they will often hold intellectual lectures for anyone who was interested to attend.

“Physics, mathematics, history, philosophy... you name it, there's a lecture on it.”

Dean was about to die from boredom just hearing about it all.

“When's the next lecture? I'd very much like to attend.” Cas asked, clearly interested. Dean snapped his head over to look at the Alpha as if he'd sprouted a second head.

“It's in just a few days. You can find printed schedules in the rec rooms,” Charlie supplied.

“Oh good. I'll be sure to get one as soon as I'm able.”

“Yeah, you'll be going to that by yourself, buddy,” Dean declared vehemently. Cas simply rolled his eyes at his mate's refusal to expand his mind.

“Actually, I could attend it with you, if you don't mind, Castiel.”

“Oh, that would be wonderful, Charlie!” Cas announced, giving Dean a pointed glare.

It was Dean's turn to roll his eyes. “Yeah, enjoy your snooze fest, guys. Count me out!”

Charlie smiled at Dean and said, “You seem more like the _physical_ activities kinda guy, am I right?”

Dean thought about that for a moment. He didn't _remember_ ever playing sports or partaking in any other physical activities, but it still seemed like it would be more up his alley. He nodded in the affirmative, and Charlie continued.

“Well, there's a rock climbing wall in one of the rec rooms that you can use anytime there's an attendant on duty. There are also a few sports teams you can join. They have teams based on both primary and secondary Designations – that is, either male or female, or Alpha, Beta or Omega. So you can either join a male team or an Omega team. There are games every other week and practice weekly. Although _you_ will have certain guidelines you'll have to follow cuz – ya know...” she trailed off, not finishing her thought, mindful of Dean's discomfort regarding his condition. “There are also wrestling and boxing classes, as well as swimming and track-”

“This place sounds huge!” Dean exclaimed, cutting Charlie off mid-sentence, while also astutely avoiding the subject of his pregnancy.

“Oh yeah, it is! There's a rather extensive underground network here.”

And, boy, she wasn't lying! It took two hours before the tour was _finally_ completed. There were four of everything: dining halls, gyms, swimming pools, rec rooms, tracks, sports fields (each of which was multi-functional). You name it, they had it – in spades! The facility was large enough to accommodate all of the current residents, plus future generations as the population inevitably grew.

The tour concluded with the three of them stopping off in one of the dining halls for dinner. Charlie had obviously planned it that way. Cas and Dean weren't complaining though. The little Beta moved fast, and the two of them were thankful for the chance to sit down and get some much-needed sustenance into their bodies.

Charlie had chosen to seat them in the dining hall that was conveniently called Dining Hall A. It was spacious, though there weren't many people around. Charlie explained that most people ate dinner as soon as possible, and she'd purposefully chosen a time to come that was a bit later than usual so they wouldn't be overwhelmed by so many bodies and scents and noises. It would take a few days for their bodies to acclimate so they could comfortably endure being around so many people at once.

While they ate their meal, Charlie, Cas and Dean talking quietly amongst themselves, they were approached by another Beta. He sported a short, neatly-trimmed beard and had a muscular build. Dean and Cas both noticed that he had a very faint, almost imperceptible scent, just like Charlie, and they wondered if that was standard for all Betas. When the man spoke, it was with a mellifluous lilt and a twinkle in his eye.

“Hiya, darlin',” he said to Charlie. “I just thought I'd come say hello. I'm not interruptin', am I?”

“Benny!” Charlie exclaimed loudly. She jumped up and gave the man a hug. “I didn't know you were back.” Then she seemed to remember herself before turning back to give introductions. “Oh yeah, sorry. Benny, these are the two new-comers we had coming in today: Dean and Castiel,” she pointed to each of them in turn. “Guys this is Benny.”

Benny took each of their hands, giving them a hearty and friendly shake. “Hey guys! And welcome! It's always good seein' fresh faces here. I hope Charlie's been treatin' ya well. She can be a real pain sometimes, I know.” He gave a cheerful wink and a smirk, which elicited a laugh and a playful smack on his arm from Charlie. He pretended to be injured but quickly bounced back.

“Oh stop! I am _not_ a pain.” She turned back to Dean and Cas and said, “Is it okay if he joins us? If it's too much, then just say so and I can send this big galoot packing!”

“Oh, uh, I'm fine with it. What about you, Cas?”

“That would be fine with me as well,” Cas answered Dean. To Benny, he said, “You can get a plate and join us.”

“Oh, I've already eaten dinner in mah office,” Benny informed as he took a seat next to Charlie on the opposite side of the circular table. “I just wanted to come and meet ya both before ya turned in for the night, an' I figured Charlie'd bring ya here to get somethin' to eat before showin' ya to yer unit. Turns out I was right.”

“You wanted to meet us? Why?” Cas asked.

“Well, I always make it a point to meet any new-comers to mah facility.”

Cas and Dean looked confused for a moment, but then Charlie explained. “Benny is one of the six members of the Council and, as such, he has his own facility to run: this one.” She sounded almost like she were bragging and proud of the accomplishments of her fellow Beta. “As a matter of fact,” she continued, “he's supposed to be at a Council meeting at the Bermuda facility.” She turned to the other Beta, clearly expecting an explanation.

Benny laughed, then said, “What? You tryna get rid of me for longer?”

“Oh, well, I can't have some stuffy Council member cramping my style, now can I?” Charlie answered with a faux, haughty huff, her hand to her chest in mock offense.

This elicited a laugh from all three men at the table before Benny answered. “Well, somethin' came up...” he paused for a moment, a shadow passing across his face for a moment, but then quickly disappearing, as if it never happened. “I just needed to come back and take care of a few things.”

“Oh,” Charlie said, jovial mood dead and replaced with concern. She seemed to have picked up on something that Benny wasn't saying. “What came up?”

Benny smiled sadly before taking one of Charlie's hands in his own. “Now, darlin', ya know I can't discuss Council business with ya.”

“Yeah, yeah. I know,” Charlie grumbled, but there was no real heat behind it. “Doesn't mean I have to be happy about it, though.”

Benny gave Charlie's hand one last squeeze before releasing it and placing both his hands on the table in front of him. Lacing his fingers together, he turned back to Dean and Cas before continuing. “So, how are ya findin' the place? What do ya think?”

“Well,” Cas began. He took a deep breath, released it then looked at Dean.

“This place is nuts!” The Omega supplied.

“Yes,” Cas agreed. “This is all pretty overwhelming. I mean, we woke up today naked and trapped. Now we're being taken on a tour of a massive underground facility and told we're part of a repopulation effort and Dean's _pregnant_! That's mind-boggling enough as it is.” Cas took a moment to take another breath, trying to gather his thoughts before continuing, but he didn't know what else to say. What _could_ he say? They'd already spent ages discussing all of this with Charlie, and remembering it all just made him bone-wary and tired and he just wanted to rest and try to forget some of what had happened in the past few hours.

Benny seemed to understand, regardless. He said, “Yeah, I know it can be a lot. But just know that you're both a part of somethin' wonderful here. We are the mothers and fathers of a whole new generation that will one day inherit what we've left here. We just gotta be sure that there's somethin' _to_ leave behind.” Benny paused for a moment before continuing. “Just give it a few days, a couple weeks maybe, and you'll get used to all this. I promise.”

That all sounded like absolute bullshit to Dean, but this Benny guy seemed nice enough, so he decided not to call him on it. He just nodded along and didn't say anything more.

Benny checked the watch on his wrist then announced, “I've gotta make a few calls.” He turned back to Dean and Cas as he stood up and said, “I'll be seein' you fellas around, alright? Things'll settle down for ya and you'll feel much better about everything soon.” As he was leaving, he paused to plant a gentle kiss to the side of Charlie's head, then he took off at a brisk pace, leaving the others to watch his back as he retreated.

“Well, he seems nice,” Cas said.

“Oh yeah, he is,” Charlie confirmed.

“You two seem pretty fond of each other,” Dean prompted.

“Yeah, we are,” Charlie answered. “I mean, we _should_ be, after all. He's my husband.”

 

~*~*~*~

 

Half an hour later, Charlie had escorted Dean and Cas to their housing unit. She led them to a hall with door after door lining the walls, large spaces in between. When she finally stopped, it was in front of a door with the number 34F chiseled into the surface.

She waved her key card in front of the black panel to the right of the door, just like before, and the door clicked and swung open. She stood to the side and motioned in the direction of the open doorway. “After you.”

Dean and Cas stepped into the space which was already lit and inviting. It was a large apartment, despite Charlie warning that it'd be a bit smaller than usual. Hardwood floors, glass and metal coffee table, plush leather sofa. The far wall contained a floor-to-ceiling 'window' that displayed the rain, which was beginning to clear. To the left of the entryway was a kitchenette and through the living room and to the right they could see a hallway that led to the rest of the unit.

Charlie waited patiently while the couple took their time exploring their new home. They split ways, Cas heading to the back and Dean checking out the kitchen. Cas noticed three bedrooms in the back, including the master suite. It was spacious and sported a queen-sized bed with bedside tables and lamps. There was a small sofa in one corner with a small wooden table in front of it, and a handbook resting on the surface. There was a walk-in closet with more clothes for Dean and himself, although they were simply copies of the clothes they were already wearing. He also discovered an ensuite bathroom through another door in the room.

He continued exploring and found another bathroom down the hall. The other bedrooms, which weren't as large as the master suite, were still pretty spacious for an apartment. He left the back and rejoined Dean and Charlie, walking in on the middle of their conversation.

“-possible fire hazards and- oh, here's Castiel.” She stopped mid-sentence as she noticed the Alpha reentering the room.

“Hey,” he said once he had rejoined the others. “What are you two talking about?”

“That measly excuse for a kitchen, that's what,” Dean grumbled, jerking a thumb behind him in consternation.

Charlie smiled kindly at Dean's disgruntled grumbling, then addressed Castiel. “As I was explaining to Dean, the kitchens aren't meant for food preparation. All residents are encouraged to take their meals in one of the dining halls. A meal schedule is posted there, on the refrigerator,” she pointed to it and the couple turned to look, noticing that there was indeed a note posted to the chrome surface. “You can, however, store fruits and vegetables in the kitchen and prepare beverages for refreshment. But cooking with heat and possibly flames is a fire hazard that we wish to avoid, which is why there's no stove, oven, microwave, toaster, or anything else that can be used as a source of heat.”

“Well that sucks,” Dean pouted.

“This is still a very nice apartment, Dean.” Cas wrapped an arm around his mate's back and placed a gentle hand on his opposite shoulder. “It's sure a far cry from our _room._ ”

“Yeah,” Dean chuckled. “You're right about that! But at least our room – or cell or whatever it was – at least it had a wide variety of food. There's nothin' in _there_ but rabbit food. I checked!” Dean gestured to the tiny 'kitchen', though it could barely be called that since all it contained was a small fridge, a small amount of counter space and two cabinets, the space marked by a few square feet or linoleum.

Charlie huffed out a tiny laugh and Cas smiled fondly at Dean's displeasure as the Omega's pout deepened. Dean didn't know why, but he felt like he'd like to cook... something. Was that part of being an Omega? Or was that something that he liked to do, even before all of this? He didn't know and he didn't really care, he just wanted a proper kitchen, but it looked like he wouldn't be getting one.

“It'll be okay, Dean,” Charlie tried again to placate the Omega. “Just take your meals in one of the dining halls. They've got an even larger variety than what you got in your room. And...” Charlie made her way over to the kitchenette and opened one of the cabinets, “you can make smoothies here!” She triumphantly held up a blender.

Dean finally laughed at that. “Oh no! That's just rabbit food _juice._ No thanks!”

“Alright,” Charlie sighed, but still smiling. “I tried, it's up to you now, Castiel.”

The Alpha smiled and squeezed Dean's shoulder again. “It'll be fine. Don't worry.”

“Okay,” Charlie began, “there's just a few more things to discuss before I get outta of you guys' hair.” Charlie made her way further into the apartment and over to the coffee table in front of the sofa. “These,” she said, plucking two cards off the table, “are your key cards.” She handed one to each of them. “They will get you into this unit, and you should keep them on you at all times. The cards can also be used to sign into any of the rec room and you'll also need to swipe them when you get food in the dining halls. I was able to swipe my card for you guys today, but you'll have to do it on your own from now on.”

Dean and Cas took the cards from her. They each had a small hole punched into a corner and a lanyard with a clip was running from it. Dean clipped the lanyard to the waistband of his pants and shoved the card into a pocket. Cas copied him, then the two of them turned back to Charlie as she gave further explanations.

“Next...” Charlie made her way over to the wall that the couch was facing. She picked up a remote off of a shelf that was hanging there and pressed a button. A panel of the wall moved to the side, revealing a large television screen.

Dean got very excited. There was a TV! He didn't remember any actual shows that he'd watched, but he knew that TV was amazing. This would definitely make up for the crappy kitchen thingy!

“Now, don't get too excited, Dean.” Charlie noticed that the Omega was far happier to see the screen than he should have been. “We don't have any actual programming or movies to stream.” She watched as Dean's face fell, visibly disappointed. “I know, I'm sorry. This is just to show announcements, schedules and the like.” She flipped through a few commands and screens, showing the Alpha and Omega how to operate it, making sure they knew what they were doing. At the end, she said to Dean, “And this is your schedule for tomorrow.”

Dean saw what was listed on the screen for him to do the next day. He was not pleased. The only thing listed there was a doctor's appointment to check on the health of his unborn child or children. “Yeah. I'm not goin' to that.”

Charlie became uncomfortable. She looked at Dean apologetically, sympathy clear in her voice as she said, “I'm sorry, Dean. I know you're uncomfortable with this, but an appointment like this is mandatory. Prenatal care is highly important.”

Dean huffed and shook his head. “And if I refuse?”

“Then...” regret and apology were written all over her face, “in that case, security would find you and escort you to your appointment.”

“Brilliant!” Dean scoffed. “Just brilliant.”

“I really am sorry, Dean.”

“Whatever.” Dean sunk down on the couch and leaned his head back as he draped an arm over his eyes.

Charlie sighed. “I should get out of your hair.” The Beta moved to the door and Cas followed her to walk her out.

When they reached the door, Castiel said, “Thank you, Charlie. Your help has been greatly appreciated, and...” he looked over his shoulder at Dean, still slumped back on the couch, before looking back at the small woman, “I'm sure Dean appreciates it as well.”

“Yes, I'm sure,” Charlie answered sardonically, but she still smiled at the Alpha as she turned and opened the door. Her exit was impeded, however, by an unexpected guest in the hallway, blocking her path.

The scent of smoke and ash came wafting into the apartment, causing Dean to sit bolt upright and snap his head in the direction it was coming from. He slowly stood and tentatively made his way to the door to investigate.

“Alistair!” Charlie announced. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, I heard we've got some new neighbors. I've been off work since yesterday and I've got some time on my hands. Just I thought I'd stop by, say hello. Be sociable, you know?”

“Being 'sociable' is fine, Alistair, but I've told you before that you can't keep doing this! New-comers need time to adjust and relax before they get visitors.” Charlie boldly scolded the Alpha standing in her way, hands braced firmly on her hips.

“Oh, I know. I just couldn't...” he paused as he spotted Dean over the shoulders of the Beta and the other Alpha as he approached, “resist.”

Charlie huffed and rolled her eyes. “Fine. Alistair, this is Dean and Castiel. Guys, this is Alistair. He lives a few doors down from you in 34K.” She turned back to Alistair and said, “Okay, you've met them. Now vamoose!” She waved the intruding Alpha away from the door.

He stepped back just far enough for the petite Beta to exit the apartment, but he didn't leave yet. “It was _very_ nice to meet the two of you.” He spoke to both of them, a wolfish grin plastered to his face, but his eyes remained on Dean, locking the Omega in place with his steely grey gaze. “I'll be seeing you around.” He winked before sauntering off down the hall.

Cas growled at the other Alpha's retreating form. Whether or not Alistair heard it remained a mystery since he just kept moving away, giving no indication one way or the other.

Once she was sure he was out of earshot, Charlie said, “Sorry about that. I keep telling him not to just pop by unannounced like that. It's far too soon for you guys to be getting visitors.”

“Yes. Too soon,” Cas agreed.

“Well, he shouldn't bother you guys anymore, for a while at least. But if he _does_ comes back, and you don't want him here, just contact security. You can push the panic button that I showed you on the remote.”

“Thank you, Charlie.”

“No problem. You guys have a good night.” With that the Beta turned and left, going in the opposite direction that Alistair had gone.

Cas closed the door and immediately rushed to Dean's side. He could smell his Omega's distress wafting off of him in waves as soon as the door opened.

“Dean!” He placed his hands on both of his mates shoulders, looking the other man up and down as if he might be able to visibly see the cause of the Omega's distress. “Are you okay? What is it?”

“I- I dunno. I just... I really don't like that guy. I can't explain it. I just _really_ don't wanna see him again.”

Cas nodded in understanding. “I know. I didn't like him either.” Cas relaxed a bit and stood up straight as he pulled Dean further into his arms. He squeezed Dean a little tighter as he felt the other man beginning to tremble slightly. “Dean...” Cas began worried, “are you sure there's nothing else? What's wrong?”

Dean just shook his head and didn't speak for a few moments. He just stood there in Cas's arms, breathing in the scent of safety and home that was uniquely Cas. After a moment he answered, “I really don't know, man. I just... I don't wanna see him again. Like ever!”

Cas nodded. “That's fine, Dean. You don't have to. I'll do everything I can to keep him away from you if that's what you want.” Dean nodded in return and Cas pulled back from him. The scent of Omega distress sill hung in the air, but it was beginning to fade. “How about we go take a shower and then go to bed? I bet you're exhausted.”

“Yeah!” Dean huffed, running a hand over his face. “That sounds great.”

“Alright, lets go.” Cas dragged Dean by the hand and led him to the master suite for much-needed rest and relaxation.

They'd need all the rest they could get for the days to come.

 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Phew* Made it! Wasn't sure if I'd be able to post this today. Had a catastrophic malfunction the other day when my document crashed and I lost half of my progress on this chapter. Had to do some breakneck typing over the past few days just to catch up and then finish, but I made it! Yay me!
> 
> So, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think!
> 
> P.S. There is a small not at the end, but don't read it until you're done, unless you're okay with spoilers for this chapter. ;)

The next morning, Dean and Cas awoke to the brightening of the lights in their bedroom. Dean groaned in disapproval and rolled over, burying his face into the pillow roll under his head, disentangling himself from his Alpha's grip as he did so. This caused a similar groan of disapproval from the Alpha as he blindly stretched out his now-empty arm in search of his mate.

The great thing about a heightened sense of smell? You could scent out your partner without having to expose your delicate, sleep-sensitive eyes to harsh lights. So Cas did just that, rolling over and draping an arm over the Omega's bare back, dragging the man back into an embrace and effectively foiling his escape attempt. Dean didn't fight it. After all, burying your nose into your mate's neck is infinitely better than burying it into a pillow.

The Omega breathed in deeply, nuzzling into Cas's neck, subconsciously seeking comfort in his pre-awake state. The sensation was pleasing to Cas, so he let out a low rumble which resonated in his chest, causing Dean to smile wide and let out a low rumble of his own in response, though it was at a slightly higher pitch than Cas's. At this point, neither of them thought it was imperative to question every single thing their bodies decided to do, so they mutually decided to just accept it and roll with it.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, just enjoying the feel of being wrapped up in each other's arms and scents. After some time of this, Cas stopped his comforting rumbling noises in order to speak with his mate.

“Dean?”

“Hm?” Dean answered on the tail end of a weary sigh.

“We have to get up soon.”

“Mm.” The Omega grunted with no small amount of ire. “ _You_ get up. I stay here.”

“No, Dean. We _both_ need to get up.”

Dean merely grunted again and snuggled further into his Alpha's neck.

Cas chuckled at his Omega's stubbornness and silently wondered if all Omegas were like this, or if it was a quality unique to his mate. Smiling, Cas gently shook Dean and repeated his earlier announcement. “We need to get up, Dean!”

This time the Omega remained silent, feigning sleep, but his Alpha knew better. Grinning wickedly with a newly-formed plan, Cas gently rolled over, rolling Dean with him, until he was on top of his mate and the Omega was flat on his back. That done, he began planting wet kisses on Dean's neck, paying special attention to the still-healing bite mark before continuing south to Dean's chest, pulling a nipple into his mouth and swirling his tongue around it until it was standing at attention. He then moved to the next one and repeated the process until the little nub was as hard as its mate.

The attention finally got Dean's notice and the Omega opened his eyes wide to watch his mate as the Alpha worshiped his body. Dean watched as Cas continued lower, gently kissing Dean's abdomen, dipping his tongue into his bellybutton. He dragged his tongue down until it reached the elastic band of Dean's boxer briefs where he planted one more kiss. Then, Cas hooked his fingers on the waistband and pulled them down and out of the way.

Dean lifted his hips to assist as Cas removed his underwear to gain better access to the package contained within. Tossing the burdensome article of clothing over his shoulder, Cas bent down and resumed his previous course, kissing further down. When he reached the nest of curly hairs, he nestled his nose inside, inhaling deeply and planting a firm kiss there before he moved on.

Dean was breathing heavier by that point, his dick already half hard, perking up in interest and getting harder by the second. Cas slowly dragged his tongue up the length of the shaft and swirled it around the head, then tickled the slit as he quickly flicked it back and forth a few times. Then Dean's cock was completely engulfed in the hot, wet heat of his mate's mouth as the man bobbed his head up and down.

“Unngh!” Dean groaned out in pleasure as he gently rocked his hips up in an attempt to just get _more._

The gentle movement caused a trickle of slick to escape from Dean's puckered hole. The scent wafted up and made its way to the Alpha's nostrils. A low growl escaped Cas's throat and he abandoned Dean's rock hard cock in favor of diving even lower and burying his tongue in Dean's now-drenched ass.

The sudden change in sensations caused a shout to rise from Dean's throat and he threw his head back as he began slowly grinding his hips in pleasure, trying to fuck himself on Cas's tongue. Dean raised a hand to wrap around his abandoned dick and he got in three good pumps before his hand was quickly and cruelly ripped from its position.

Cas had risen up from his task and grabbed both of Dean's wrists, pinning them above his head, saying, “Keep them there.” He gave a Dean a stern and domineering look that demanded obedience. Dean looked his Alpha in the eyes, ready to protest, but caught himself as he thought better of it. Instead, he nodded and did as he was told. “Good,” Cas praised, “now don't move them unless I tell you to.”

“Yes, Alpha,” Dean breathed. He didn't question where that phrase came from, and since it seemed to please his Alpha, he just rolled with it. Cas smiled and leaned down to bring their lips together in a bruising kiss, delving his tongue into Dean's mouth and letting the Omega taste himself there. Dean moaned into the kiss and then tried to follow the Alpha as Cas withdrew to return to his earlier task, but Cas firmly pressed Dean back into the mattress, wordlessly reminding him to stay still.

Once he had Dean's compliance, Cas delved down once again, latching his mouth around Dean's leaking hole and swirling his tongue around the tight ring of muscle. Dean moaned louder, resisting the urge to thrust his hips again as Cas breached his hole once more, lapping and slurping driving Dean insane, the room filling with the sweet aroma of Omega lust. The scent ratcheted up Cas's lust, causing Alpha pheromones to mingle with Dean's, creating a heady scent that had both of them reeling.

“Cas...”

“Mmm?” the Alpha answered without removing his lips from Dean's ass.

“Cas, _please_!”

“Mmmm,” Cas answered. He ignored his mate's pleas for a few moments longer as he reached down and finally wrapped a hand over his own swollen and neglected cock, hanging hard and heavy between his legs, already dribbling precum onto the sheets. “Touch yourself, Dean,” Cas commanded as he began stroking himself while he resumed his ministrations with his tongue.

Dean didn't need to be told twice, he quickly and eagerly wrapped a hand around his painfully hard cock and began stroking himself, letting out a sigh of relief as he did. He could already feel himself getting closer to the edge, so he slowed down just a bit. He paused for a moment to swirl his thumb around the tip of his leaking cock, causing another moan to escape from his lips before he resumed his stroking.

Cas's dick was bigger now than it was when he first met Dean. It was longer and thicker, and of course it had the perpetual swelling at the base which never went away, only grew larger when he was aroused, swelling to completion during climax. He focused mainly on stroking his huge shaft until his fingers constantly grazed his knot, then he started focusing more and more attention to it instead. Testing out the waters, he squeezed tightly around the knot, and nearly shouted in ecstasy as pleasure radiated through his entire lower body and shot straight to the tip of his dick.

To experiment further, he quickly reached up and scooped some of the slick from Dean's buttocks that had escaped his laving tongue, and used it to coat his cock and knot while he continued pleasuring himself. He massaged Dean's slick into the knot while he squeezed and stroked the tender bundle of nerves there.

As Cas explored his own pleasure, he continued working at Dean's ass, his own pleasure causing his tongue to fuck harder into Dean's leaking hole, driving the Omega half mad. It didn't take much longer for Dean to cum with a shout, his hand speeding up as he milked every last drop from his diamond-crushing hard-on and his ass clenched even tighter around the hot, wet organ still buried deep inside him. His release exploded from his cock and rocketed up to land on his stomach and chest.

Cas wasn't far behind. With one last squeeze, the Alpha unloaded a rather large, Alpha-sized release onto the sheets, unleashing a heavy groan that quickly morphed into a low, rumbling growl. He gave Dean's drenched and still-spasming hole another few laps before he brought himself back up to lay parallel to his panting mate.

“So,” he said, “are you ready to get up now?”

 

~*~*~*~

 

After Cas finally dragged his mate out of the bed, with no small amount of grumbling, they grabbed the soiled sheets, along with the clothes they had worn the day before, and tossed them down the laundry shoot in their hallway. After that, the two of them hopped in the shower for a much-needed scrubbing before they finally left their apartment for Dean's appointment, about an hour after waking.

Dean still wasn't happy about any of it, but he figured going on his own would be better than being escorted by security. Plus, the whole thing also seemed to make Cas happy, even though the Alpha was obviously containing his excitement, for Dean's sake. So because of that, Dean decided to not be a complete butt about the whole thing. Well, _try_ , at least.

As they made their way through the huge underground network of buildings and walkways, they had to follow a series of maps, which were posted periodically, in order to find where they were going. Their tour with Charlie had been helpful, but the place was simply too large to have been able to commit much of anything to memory in such a short amount of time. It would be quite a while yet before either of them could confidently navigate their new environment unaided.

It only took about fifteen minutes for them to find the right place. They walked in through the heavy set of double doors that separated the medical wing from the rest of the facility, but then they paused right in the entrance. They looked at each other in slight confusion, then looked left and right.

Dean said, “Um, you know where we're supposed to be goin'?”

“No, I don't.”

The schedule that Dean was provided told them where to be and what time, but it didn't tell them where to go once they got to the proper building in this subterranean maze. The medical center had the same look and feel as a regular hospital, so the two of them decided to just ask for help at the front desk. There was a friendly, blond Omega, with the thick, white cross on her shoulder, which marked her as a member of the medical services. She was more than happy to point them in the right direction.

Dean's appointment was, obviously, in the maternity section of the medical facility, which was on the fourth floor. The two of them quickly located the bank of elevators against one wall and rode one up. Once they got to the proper floor, they checked Dean in at the reception desk there and were told to sit in the waiting area until called.

The pair found a couple of seats together and sat quietly for a while. Dean looked around, noticing all of the other patients who were waiting their turn to be called. There were Omegas, many of them being accompanied by their Alphas, and even a pair of Betas in one corner, talking amongst themselves. The one thing they all had in common where the pups.

Little ones were running about, laughing and playing with each other and with the scattering of toys that had been provided to keep them occupied and entertained until they or their parents were called back.

As Dean watched the happy and active pups running and jumping about, he suddenly felt something inside him _twist_ uncomfortably and he was filled with an intense longing. He tried to mentally shake himself of the unpleasant feeling, but it was persistent. He tried to ignore it, but it would not be ignored.

A little girl bounced past him, giggling and looking behind herself at a little boy who had given up the chase and was no longer pursuing her. She only had her head turned for a split second, but that was enough time for her to trip up on a toy in her path, which sent her sprawling, landing in a tiny heap on the carpeted floor. She let out a piteous wail as she rolled over onto her bottom, clutching her elbow, fat tears streaming down her pale, round cheeks.

It took every ounce of willpower that Dean possessed not to rush over to the poor pup and comfort her, soothing away the hurt and wiping away the tears. His distress at the sight was short-lived, however, when the child's Omega father quickly descended upon the girl and scooped her up into his arms, shushing and coddling her as he took her back to his seat. He held her in his arms, kissed the boo-boo better, and within no time the tears dried up, were wiped away, and the child was running and playing again as if nothing had happened.

“Dean?”

“Hm?” Dean responded, not paying much attention to his mate, still focusing too much on the children around them.

“Dean,” Cas tried again.

This time the Omega turned his attention to the searing blue eyes and intense stare of his Alpha. “Yeah?”

“Are you alright?”

“Uh, yeah, Cas. Wh- why do you ask?”

“Um, my hand...”

Dean looked down and saw that he had Cas's hand in a Death grip; it's a wonder none of the bones had snapped. “Oh! Sorry.” Dean loosened his grip, but Cas grabbed the offending appendage before his mate could get away.

“It's okay Dean. Everything is going to be okay. I know you must be very nervous about all of this, but it's all going to work out, alright?”

“Uh, yeah, Cas. I know.” Dean figured Cas must have misread his tension as nerves, but he didn't feel up to correcting the Alpha at the moment so he just let it go. His eyes continued scanning the room, his heart inexplicably aching, and for the first time, Dean unconsciously brought his hand up to rest it on his abdomen.

“Wait, is it the pup that's got you upset?” Castiel asked, noticing Dean's unconscious gesture.

“Uh,” Dean answered smartly, hand falling away from his stomach as he turned his attention back to his mate. “Um, yeah. Yeah, it is.”

“Hm,” is all the Alpha said.

“What?”

“Nothing, it's just... I saw a lot of the other Omegas nearly jumping out of their seats to help the child before her father intervened.”

“Oh,” is all Dean said, his brow furrowing slightly. He hadn't even noticed that.

“Yes. I figured there was some sort of biological need that Omegas have to comfort children, but then you didn't seem to be as... distressed as the others.” Cas frowned slightly as he seemed to think about that for a moment. _“Were_ you distressed?”

“Oh, yeah. But I sorta... suppressed it? I dunno, I just didn't wanna get involved.”

“Ah, I see.” Cas thought for a moment again. “I wonder why I didn't smell anything. Distressed Omega has a strong scent, but I didn't get any of that. In fact,” he sniffed the air, “I don't really smell much of anything.”

Dean gave the air a test whiff as well. “Yeah, now that you mention it, I don't either. What's with that?”

Their conversation was interrupted, however, by a voice that could only be described as sultry. “It's a null odor.”

“Excuse me?” Cas asked, ever polite. The two of them turned to the left to face the speaker. She was sitting two seats away from Dean, the seat between them empty. She had shockingly black, wavy hair and a heart-shaped face. One of her hands was resting on her pregnant belly and the other was draped over the armrest to her left.

“A null odor,” she repeated. “The hospital, as well as the clinics, can be quite overwhelming to olfactory senses, especially to the little ones,” she gestured to the running and bouncing pups with her chin, “so they squirt the stuff through the vents, to keep the scents of distress, pain, fear and other emotions from overwhelming us and the kiddies. They don't spray it everywhere though, just places like this.”

“Oh, well thank you,” Cas said. “I was beginning to worry that something was wrong.”

“Nope. Nothing's wrong. The ol' sniffer will be right back to normal as soon as you leave.”

“Oh, well that's good to know.”

“Yes,” she squinted her eyes at the two of them for a moment before saying, “You're the newbies, right? You're Charles.... or Clarence...?”

“Castiel,” he supplied.

“Castiel. Right. Strange name,” she said nodding. “Well, I'm Meg, by the way.”

“It's nice to meet you, Meg. I assume you already know my mate, Dean?”

“You assume correctly. And I believe you've already had the _pleasure,”_ she spat the word out, “of meeting my Alpha, Alistair.”

Dean and Cas stiffened and looked away from Meg momentarily.

Meg chuckled darkly, “I'll take that as a 'yes'.”

Cas cleared his throat then said, “Yes, we have met him. He seems, ah,” Cas looked to Dean, but admittedly it was a mistake to hope that Dean could come up with a _polite_ way of referring to this Omega's Alpha.

“He's a creepy ass fucker, is what he is!” This elicited a glare from Cas, but Dean merely shrugged as if to say _what?_

Meg, however, let loose a loud guffaw at the outburst from her fellow Omega. “Yes,” she said once she'd gotten herself back under control, “you've _definitely_ met him.”

“Wait,” Dean asked, “you don't mind me saying that about him?”

“No, I don't. You're right, he's a major creeper.”

“Right?! What's with that?!”

“I don't know, the man is just... off.”

“Yes, off,” Cas said. “There's something... I don't know, just-”

“Just something about him you don't like, but you can't put your finger on it?” Meg offered.

“Yes! Exactly. There's just _something.”_

Meg nodded in agreement and the trio fell silent. They watched as others who were there before them got called back with their youngsters in tow, silently wondering when it would be their turn. After a while, Dean spoke up.

“So... how do you feel about carrying his pups if you dislike him so much?”

“Oh, I don't dislike him... I hate him with a passion. As for how I feel? It doesn't really matter, does it? He's the Alpha that I was assigned to, there's very little that can be done about that, and...” she paused looking down at her swelling abdomen, a fond expression softening her features momentarily, but then gone in an instant. “It's not _all_ bad I guess. I mean, at first, I wanted to find a bridge to throw myself off of, but... this is my third time being knocked up by that asshole, so I'm used to it now. And... and I don't know if it's my biology or some other force, but I do love my pups, regardless of the Alpha who sired them.”

“What about his other Omegas? How do they feel about him?” Cas asked, curious.

“Well, I know Bela and Adam don't really like him either. Ruby and Lilith, on the other hand...” she paused, heaving a great sigh and rolling her eyes dramatically, “those two were _made_ for him.”

“And there's no way that any of you can leave him? You just have to be unhappy for the rest of your life?” Dean seemed genuinely concerned for his fellow Omega.

“Well, I said there's 'very little' that can be done. I _could_ leave, but the life I'd lead wouldn't exactly be a step up.”

“What do you mean?” Cas asked.

“Well, there was another Omega who was assigned to Alistair. He didn't like how Al was treating him, so he made a big enough stink about it that _the_ _powers that be_ finally took pity and removed him from the situation. He was given different living arrangements and also... a different job assignment.” Meg seemed unhappy about whatever it was she was remembering. When she spoke again she said, “Poor Alfie. I'd never willingly put myself in the same situation.”

“Alfie?!” Cas nearly shouted the name.

“Yes, _Alfie,_ ” Meg drolled. “I know, it's a strange name, but-”

“No, no. It's not that. It's just... I _know_ Alfie!”

“You do?” Meg asked, surprise written on her face, then her eyebrows rose as realization hit her. “ _Oh,_ you must have been assigned to him during Phase Two.”

“Yes, I was! He was Alistair's mate?”

“He was,” Meg answered simply, nodding.

“That poor kid. He's been through so much already.”

“Yes,” Meg intoned, “he has. And it's not something I'm keen on enduring myself. It's this hell or a completely different kind of hell, and I've gotta tell ya-”

“Meg?” she was interrupted by her name being called. The three of them looked around and noticed a nurse who was standing in a doorway leading to the back, clipboard in hand, scanning the waiting area and looking for someone to respond to his call.

“Well, that's me,” Meg said as she stood. “I'll be seeing you boys around.”

“Okay. See ya, Meg.”

“Good-bye, Meg. It was nice meeting you.”

She walked off to meet the nurse who smiled and held the door for the pregnant Omega as she walked through to the back. Then the nurse stepped in behind her, letting the door swing shut on his way.

“Well I gotta say, I like her a whole hell of a lot more than her Alpha,” Dean said once Meg was out of sight.

“Agreed.”

The two of them waited and waited for a while longer. They each had to get up at least once to stretch their legs, dodging toys and pups as they did so. They read many of the magazines that were spread about on one of the low tables in front of them, with names like “Omega Health” or “Alpha Digest”.

Dean even read one called “Parenting Today” with lots of pictures of smiling, happy pups, and articles about how to care for the little ones. There was even an interesting tidbit about pup clothing, which explained that they all wear white from the time they're born, up until they 'present' when they're teenagers. He _had_ wondered why all of the children were dressed like that and-

“Oh, what the hell!” Dean, suddenly realizing what he was reading, quickly tossed the offending periodical back down on the table before he continued his outburst, though he only spoke loud enough for Cas to hear. “How the hell do they give me an appointment for an _exact date and time_ , but then make us wait here for over an _hour_ before anyone freakin' calls me back?!”

“Dean,” Cas said gently, “calm down, I know it's frustrating, but-”

“You're damn right it's frustrating! And don't tell me to calm down! I didn't even wanna be here in the first place, now they've got me-”

“Dean?” the irate Omega was interrupted mid-tirade by another nurse with a clipboard.

“Uh, yeah!” Dean said, glancing at Cas as they both stood. He took a deep breath to steady himself, then they made their way over to the door, the pretty nurse smiling and holding the door open for them as they passed through.

On the other side, the nurse led them to a scale against a wall. Dean was told to hop up and his weight was marked on the clipboard. The nurse then led them to a smaller room and instructed Dean to sit in one of the chairs provided. Cas elected to stand while Dean's vitals and information were taken. Once seated, he was instructed to roll up his sleeve and expose the arm with the subdermal implant. A small, black device, about the length of a palm, with a light that ran its length was swiped over his arm. It beeped and his information was displayed on the computer screen on the nurse's small desk.

The Omega nurse then took Dean's temperature and his blood pressure, all of which were automatically recorded on the screen. Then, the nurse asked Dean to roll up the sleeve on his other arm so he could swipe an alcohol-soaked cotton swab on Dean's arm. Dean braced himself as a needle was sunk into his flesh and a sample of his blood was stolen (or collected, or whatever) and stored in a tiny vial.

“Alright,” the nurse said, standing up, “that's all I need from you for now. Follow me, and I'll show you to the examination room.”

The pair were led down the hall again, but this time to a slightly larger room. This one had a desk to the left with one of those tiny sinks and a short, a short, round rollie stool for the doctor sit on, two seats to the right, and a large, cushioned examination table with paper covering it.

“You two wait right here and the doctor will be in shortly.”

“Thank you,” Cas said.

“Yeah, thanks,” Dean mumbled. Once the nurse closed the door, Dean turned to Cas, who had taken a seat in one of the provided chairs. “Now I've gotta wait some more? What the hell is this crap?!”

“It's pretty standard for how hospitals work, Dean. I don't remember ever _going_ to one, but I seem to know that much about them.”

“Well I must not've gone at all, cuz I didn't know any of that, and I don't like it!” He began to pace a bit, not really wanting to sit down _again_ , he'd been sitting for too long already.

It was another half hour before the doctor finally stepped through the door. By that time Cas had gotten up to pace about the room, and Dean was ready to climb the freakin' walls or, better yet, just leave, consequences be damned.

“You Dean?” The doctor asked when he entered the room, making his way over to the little sink in the corner of his desk. He quickly washed and dried his hands before turning back to the only Omega in the room.

“Yeah, that's me. You must be the doc. Where the hell've _you_ been!” Dean demanded, arms crossed, frustration sprouting from every pour.

“My name's Doctor Rufus,” the Beta announced as though he hadn't heard anything. “I understand that this is your first pregnancy.”

“Yeah,” Dean huffed. “I probably coulda given birth by now with how long I was waitin' out there.”

“Dean...” Cas warned, slightly exasperated, but also slightly amused (though he was definitely trying to hide it if he knew what was good for him). He moved to stand closer to Dean, hoping maybe his presence and closer proximity would do something to comfort his mate a bit. It helped some, but not much.

“Oh yeah, I know exactly how long you were waitin',” Rufus said, “but excuse me for havin' a literal _horde_ of pregnant Omegas and Betas who also need my help. You do realize the whole point of this place, right?”

Dean nodded, turning his head slightly, trying to hide his shameful blush.

“That's right, makin' babies,” the Doctor answered his own question. “And do you have any idea how many pregnant soon-to-be parents that need to be taken care of at this very moment?”

Dean shrugged.

“A fuckton, that's how many. So you'll _forgive_ me for bein' a little late to the party, but I was just elbow deep in a-”

“Doctor...” Cas warned, a low rumble starting in his chest, getting a little tired of his mate being berated. He rested a comforting hand on Dean's shoulder, asking the Omega if he was alright. When Dean told him that he was fine, not to worry, Cas returned his gaze to the doctor.

The doctor heaved a world-weary sigh, giving the Alpha a pointed glare before he continued. “Well then. Let's get on with it, shall we? Lie down on your back, raise your shirt for me, and lower your pants just enough for me to get at your lower abdomen, if ya don't mind.”

Dean reached up to Cas's hand, still resting on his shoulder reassuringly, and gave a small squeeze for comfort. Cas squeezed back before letting his hand fall and taking a step back to give Dean some room to move, while still remaining within reach.

Following the doctor's orders, Dean got up on the examination table and sat back, paper rustling, crinkling and tearing beneath him a bit as he moved, and rested his head on the flimsy pillow that was provided. Once on his back, he hooked his fingers beneath the hem of his shirt and raised it enough to expose his belly.

“Thank you,” the doctor said, though still slightly gruff. “Tell me if anything hurts.” Dean nodded and the doctor proceeded to poke and prod at Dean's sides and abdomen, paying special attention to the space directly below his bellybutton. “Hmm...” the doctor intoned, pressing a little firmer into the area, though still not enough to cause any pain.

“'Hmm'?” Cas asked, every inch the concerned Alpha. “What 'hmm'? What is it?”

“This happen during Phase One?” the doctor asked Dean, ignoring the Alpha. This appointment was about the pregnant Omega, after all.

“Uh, y-yeah.” Dean stammered.

“Hmm...” the doctor repeated, brow furrowing, still prodding at Dean's middle.

“Well? What is it?!” Cas asked, getting aggravated, distressed Alpha pheromones scenting the air, despite the null odor, which caused a small whimper of discomfort to escape from Dean, one that he will deny til his dying breath.

“Calm down, Papa, calm down,” Rufus turned to the Alpha for a mild admonishment, “you're getting' your mate worked up, and that's not good for him _or_ your pups.” Rufus gruffed out. “There's just something-”

“'What do you mean 'something'? Is that bad or-”

“Now, what did I _just_ say about calmin' down?” the doctor interrupted Cas. The Alpha huffed impatiently, but calmed down, nonetheless. Satisfied, Doctor Rufus turned back to his patient and, in a much more comforting voice, said, “Now, there _is_ something... not exactly _bad_ , just a little _unusual_ , especially this early on in your pregnancy. We just need to get you into ultrasound, figure out what's goin' on. I'm sure it's nothin'... but I'd still like to get a look, just to be sure, alright?”

Dean simply nodded, not trusting himself to say anything at the moment. He wasn't sure what _to_ say. He wasn't even sure how to _feel._ What could possibly be wrong? Is something wrong with his pup? Is he not even pregnant? Dean wasn't sure why, but the thought actually caused him a small amount of anxiety. The thought of something being wrong actually made him feel a little sick.

“Okay,” the doctor said, “you can sit up now, pull down your shirt and pull up your pants.” He quickly washed his hands with the little sink in the corner of the desk again, dried them on some paper towels, then made to leave. Clipboard in one hand, doorknob in the other, he continued with his instructions. “I've got a few other patients to check in on. In the meantime, one of the nurses will come and take you both to one of the ultrasound rooms. Just sit tight for now and one of them will come get you in just a few.” With that, he took off down the hall at a decent clip.

“W-what d'you think is wrong?” Dean ventured to ask once he'd sat back up and gotten himself situated.

“I'm...” Cas swallowed, “I'm not sure. But... you know, he didn't say anything was actually wrong, just not 'unusual',” the Alpha said, trying to comfort his mate. “It doesn't necessarily have to be something _bad._ ”

“Doesn't necessarily mean anything _good_ either, Cas,” Dean challenged.

Sensing the true motivation behind Dean's distress, the Alpha stepped closer to his Omega and wrapped a comforting arm around the frightened man's shoulders, drawing him into a warm embrace. “Shush, now,” he cooed. “I told you before that everything's gonna be alright and I meant it.”

“Yeah,” Dean sniffed as he moved back on the examination table a bit so that Cas could scooch up next to him, “you sure seemed to mean it earlier when you were gettin' freaked out. I smelled that distress on you, even with that null odor working.”

Cas let out a mirthless chuckle as he positioned himself next to the other man, then said, “That was probably just from our close proximity in this smaller room.”

Dean snorted, rolling his eyes. “Ya-huh, sure.”

“Okay, I guess I _am_ a little worried. I'm sorry I upset you. But everything _will_ be okay, though. Alright.”

“How do you _know_ that, though?”

Cas thought for a moment, then answered, “I _don't_ know. I just have faith that it'll all work out for the best.” He turned his head so he could look at Dean, who looked back, green eyes connecting with blue. “Think you can have a little faith too?”

Dean didn't like that answer, but he nodded and accepted it anyway. “Okay,” he answered with a sigh, placing his head on his Alpha's shoulder. He didn't know what was wrong with himself. He didn't even _want_ any of this in the first place, now at the first sign of trouble, he's beginning to panic. It was probably, most definitely, those pups out in the waiting room. Stupid little buggers just _had_ to be all cute and happy and round-cheeked, didn't they!

“And I wasn't upset,” Dean suddenly said, as a way of distracting himself from the spontaneous images of little black-haired, green-eyed pups cradled in his arms, running around their apartment, making a mess, learning first words, first steps, first bite of pie... Yeah, he really needed a distraction.

“Hm?” Cas said, not sure where the change in topic came from.

“I wasn't _that_ upset earlier. It was nothing. You said I was upset. The doc did too. I was fine.”

“But... I heard you whimper and-”

“I did _not_ whimper.”

“Dean-” Cas chuckled out, but was cut off.

“That wasn't a whimper!”

“Oh, yeah, then what was it?” Cas challenged, a glint in his eyes.

“It was-”

But he was interrupted by a knock on the door as one of the nurses came through. “Dean?”

“Oh, uh, yeah?”

“We've got ultrasound room two all set for you, if you're ready?”

“Yep. Let's go, Cas,” Dean patted Cas's leg as he got up from the examination table, paper crinkling loudly as he did so. He hopped down and headed for the door.

“It was a whimper,” the Alpha muttered, stifling a chuckle.

“Can it, Cas.” The Alpha merely chuckled harder.

They followed the nurse a short way down the hall and then turned a corner. They passed a few more doors, some open, most closed. The nurse stood outside one of the open doors and waved the couple inside with a friendly smile. They stepped inside, then the nurse gently shut the door behind them moments before his footsteps could be heard retreating down the hall.

“Hi guys,” said a perky blond Beta who had been sitting in the room waiting for them. “My name's Donna and I'll be your ultrasound tech today.”

The pair greeted the ultrasound technician with small smiles and tentative handshakes. Dean was suddenly much more nervous than he was just a few minutes ago, but he stealthily kept it hidden. Cas, though, ever vigilant, sensed his mate's uneasiness and steadied him with a calming hand to the small of his back. It went miles into helping calm the Omega's nerves.

“So, you must be Dean,” Donna said. Dean nodded in response. “Well, why dontchya just hop on up here,” she patted the bed next to her, “and we'll get started.”

Dean obeyed, hopping up onto the bed and laying his head down on the pillow provided, much like he'd done in the previous room. The exception, however, was that this bed and pillow were _much_ comfier than the stiff padding on the examination table and the nearly paper thin pillow that they'd paired it with. The downright squishiness of them went a long way to making him feel less nervous – not as much as Cas, of course, but enough that he felt like he could fall asleep at any moment.

“Alrighty,” the tech said once Dean was situated, “let's get that shirt lifted so we can get at that tummy, hm?”

Dean obeyed the not-quite-command and lifted his shirt for the tech to see.

“Okay then,” she had grabbed a crisp, white towel from one of the cabinets lining the walls while Dean was getting situated. She placed it over his crotch saying, “This is just so none of the jelly gets on your pants,” she said as she positioned it. “Now, if it's okay with you, I'm gonna just tuck this guy right along the hem of your pants, just to make sure it stays where it's supposed ta.”

Dean nodded his consent and Donna proceeded to gingerly tuck the towel along the hem of his pants, just like she said. So far the procedure was painless and almost felt like being pampered. Dean guessed it couldn't be all bad then, could it?

When she was done with that she said, “Now, Ima needya to just raise your arms up over your head like this,” she demonstrated, “just to keep 'em outta the way while we work, yeah?”

“Yeah, okay,” Dean said, finally finding his voice as he complied. He lifted his arms to rest them by his head, squeezing the pillow. Cas, who had remained standing, took one of Dean's hands from the pillow and held it in both of his. Dean was grateful, between his comforting and supportive mate, the super friendly technician and the comfy bed, the Omega felt almost completely relaxed.

“Okie-dokie, let's get started.”

Donna pulled a tube of jelly outta nowhere, popped the cap and squirted a huge dollop onto Dean's lower abdomen. The Omega flinched, expecting it to be cold, but it was actually pleasantly warm, almost hot. That realization out of the way, Dean settled back and watched the tech expectantly. She had taken out a wand and was methodically dragging it along his belly, smearing that warm jelly all over as she did. He wished he could see the monitor, but she had it turned away from him at the moment as she studied the screen, brow creased in concentration as she moved the wand this way and that without needing to look at it.

After what seemed like ages, or maybe just a minute or two (who cares, he wants to see _now_ ) the anticipation was killing him, so Dean said, with as much patience as he could muster without sounding like a petulant child, “Do you see anything? What's wrong?”

Donna smiled at him and said, “Oh, nothing's wrong. It just takes a minute to find, don't you worry. Just sit tight, alrighty?”

She smiled and winked at him and Dean had to accept the whole 'be patient' thing, even though that didn't seem to be in his nature whatsoever. Regardless, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath and tried to relax.

After another minute, Donna gasped, her face lit up and she and said, “Ah, _there_ we are!”

“What?”

“There what is?”

“Is everything okay?”

“Something's wrong isn't it?”

“Guys, guys, everything's fine,” she held her free hand up in a placating gesture. “Nothin' to get worked up over. I just understand now why the doctor was a little concerned.”

“Well, what is it?” Dean asked, his nerves sky-rocketing again.

“Well...” Donna pressed one of the buttons on the keyboard below the monitor to freeze the image on the screen, then she put the wand down an turned monitor around, angling it so that all three of them could view it at once. “why dontchya take a look at your pups?”

Dean turned his head and stared at the monitor, though he wasn't quite sure what he was seeing. Cas, on the other hand, seemed to know exactly what he was looking at.

The Alpha let out a gasp that matched the technician's. “Oh, Dean...” Cas said, voice filled with wonder, his expression shifting to match.

“What?” he asked, beginning to get frustrated again. “What am I lookin' at?”

Cas shifted his hands, eyes not leaving the screen. He kept one hand clasped on Dean's but the other moved to the Omega's shoulder. “Dean...” is all that he could manage.

“Cas, what?!” Dean scoffed as he realized that his Alpha had suddenly become useless, so he turned back to the technician who was still beaming like an idiot. Was everyone completely useless all of a sudden?! “Donna?!” he prompted, hoping that would kick-start an explanation.

“Okay, well,” she began, turning to the screen and pointing with her pinky finger as she did, “you see these dark little shapes here?”

“Yeah...” Dean said, that had been the first things he saw, but they looked nothing like babies, more like trapezoids or other weird shapes, so what the hell!

“Well, each of those have these tiny little splotches in 'em, ya see?”

“Uh-huh...” he didn't like where this was going.

“Well, each of those splotches is one of your pups!”

The air seemed to leave the room. He was getting a prickly sensation all along his back. “What the hell do you mean? Each one of those can't be a kid!”

“Yep, that's what they are,” Donna said excitedly, misinterpreting Dean's incredulity for excitement.

“Okay, okay, but there are _three_ of those dark shapes!”

“Uh huh, ya,” Donna said, even more excitedly.

“Dean...” There was still an ocean of wonder drowning the Alpha's voice. He still hadn't looked away from the screen.

“Shut _up_ , Cas. Ima get back to _you_ in a minute!” He turned back to the ultrasound technician, who was apparently beginning to realize that she hadn't, in fact, just delivered wondrous news. “Okay, we've established that there are _three_ of those freakin' shapes, right?”

“Right...” Donna said with some trepidation.

“Okay, but...” he let a small chuckle that was bordering on hysteria, “but one of them... has _three_ splotches in it!”

“Yes,” she confirmed.

“Okay,” Dean said again, as if that one word could be his salvation. He dislodged his hand from Cas's grip and ran them both down his face. Then he dropped one arm and draped the other arm over his eyes for a moment. After he had taken a few breaths, he raised his arm to look at the technician again. “So explain to me why one of those three dark shapes has _three_ splotches in it, unlike the other two,” Dean demanded. He thinks he understands what he's looking at now, but he just wants to hear it from the mouth the professional.

“Okay... well,” she turned back to the monitor and pointed to each of the shapes in turn as she explained. “these two only have one dot in them, because they each contain only one pup. But this one,” she pointed to the largest of the shapes, which was actually more of an oval, “this one has _three_ pups in it. Giving you a total of five, altogether.” She extended her hand, indicating her five digits to represent _five_ pups!

Five pups. “ _Five_ pups? _Five pups_? _FIVE PUPS_?!!” For a minute it was all he could say. Then, “DON'T YOU KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GONNA COME _OUT_?! HOLY SHIT, THERE'S _FIVE_ OF 'EM!!” He shouted in indignation, his asshole clinching closed in retaliation. For a few fleeting moments, he had been getting excited about the prospect of having a few pups, but not _five_ all at once!

Five pups! He could hardly even imagine it. How does someone wrap their head around a thing like that? How does something like that even _happen_? Oh yeah, he knows how. Which reminds him... “You!” He pointed an index finger at Cas accusingly. “ _You_ did this!” Cas seemed to come out of his blissful daze and was finally able to focus on his mate, who was irate once again.

“Um...” was all he could manage, with a deer-in-the-headlights expression on his face.

“Oh, that's all you have to say? 'Um'? That's it?” Dean huffed. “You and your super sperm injected me with five,” he thrust his hand into Cas's face, wiggling his fingers, “ _five_ freakin' kids, Cas! _FIVE_!” Suddenly seeming to realize that he could actually get up, Dean did just that. He snatched the towel from his pants and used to angrily swipe at the cooled goop on his stomach, then yanked his pants up and his shirt down before hopping off of the bed.

“Dean, please calm down,” Donna pleaded.

“Yes, Dean. Listen to her, there are still things we should talk about before we go.”

“You know what, screw you guys! I _don't_ need to calm down; I _don't_ need to talk about anything else, and I _definitely_ don't need to stay here! _You_ stay, I go!” He took two steps towards the door, but then stopped dead in his tracks and actually jumped back a couple steps when the door was suddenly swung wide open.

“What the hell is goin' on in here! What's with all this shoutin'?” Doctor Rufus came barging into the room, looking just as grumpy as he did when he left.

Dean, not taking kindly to the doctor's tone, glared daggers at the man, and crossed his arms, but refused to say another word as he fumed.

“We've just found out that we're expecting quintuplets,” Cas explained, “and Dean is less than thrilled about it.”

“Ah,” Doctor Rufus said as he closed the door behind him, not seeming the least bit surprised. “I figured it was somethin' like that.” Arms crossed, he turned back to the mated pair, raised an eyebrow and said, “Well, congratulations.”

Dean scoffed, then sank back down onto the bed, placed his elbows on his knees and clutched his down-turned head as he said sardonically, “'Congratulations'. Yeah, great. Thanks a million, doc.” A few tears slid down his face and he angrily swiped them away.

“I, um, I think I'll skedaddle now, give you folks some space.” Donna got up and headed for the door, stopping on the way to rest a hand on Rufus's arm to say, “I'll see at home later then, hun?”

“Yeah. I'll see ya,” Rufus answered kindly, actually managing what could possibly pass as a genuine smile. Donna smiled back at him, then made a hasty retreat, opening the door, then closing it behind herself with a soft click.

Cas sat down next to his weeping mate. He didn't know if Dean would accept his attempt at comfort, but he would try it anyway. It was tearing him apart inside to see Dean like this. Delicately, he reached up with one arm and slowly placed it around the Omega's shoulders. Before Cas could even lower his arm all the way, Dean quickly turned towards his mate and buried his face into the Alpha's neck. Cas let out a tiny sigh of relief and drew Dean in for a tighter embrace.

From one of the pockets of his lab coat, the Beta doctor pulled out a small packet of tissues and handed wordlessly handed then to the Alpha so that he could offer them to his mate. With his teeth and his free hand, Cas ripped open the package and offered one of the white squares to Dean, who accepted it gratefully. The Omega hated that he was showing such weakness in front of a stranger. If it were just Cas he wouldn't have minded so much, but he just met the doctor, and barely even knows him.

The doctor didn't comment on Dean's tears though. Without saying a word, he retrieved Donna's vacated chair from the other side of the bed and brought it around so he could sit and face the pair. With his back to the door, he sat, cross-armed, until Dean had had enough time to come back to himself.

“I know this must be difficult,” the doctor began, “and I'm sorry for that. But-”

“I swear, doc,” Dean interrupted, his voice heavy still with tears as he sat up, no longer leaning on Cas, “if you gimme some bullshit schpiel about the 'greater good' or some crap like that-”

“Alright, alright,” the doctor raised his hands in a placating gesture, “you've got me. We're all fulla shit down here, I know it.”

For once, someone who admitted it! Dean actually felt relieved by that simple admission.

“But the thing is,” Rufus continued, “you just gotta realize that things are run a certain way down here. You don't have a whole lotta choices about how your life is run, and I suppose it _is_ for the 'greater good',” he ignored the death glare that Dean dealt to him at the use of that phrase, “but it still sucks ass! And not in the good way!”

Cas snorted at that, and Dean turned his head, hiding a blush.

The doctor, to his credit, ignored the new tinge to his patient's cheeks and continued with his speech. “You just gotta learn to live with.” Dean looked at him like he wanted to punch the older guy. “I know, ya probably wanna deck me, right?” Dean didn't answer, but he kept going anyway. “Well, go right on ahead, if you must, but it ain't gonna change a damn thing. You can scream and yell, cry and break every breakable thing in sight, but it still won't change a damn thing.”

Dean's shoulders slumped slightly. The doctor was right. Of course he was right, Dean knew that, but he didn't have to be happy about it, and he said just as much.

“Well, I nevah said you had to be _happy_ about it. Hell, I ain't too _happy_ about it myself. I said you gotta learn to _live_ with it. You think I wanna be trapped down here, listenin' to whiny Omegas and even whinier Alphas about all their little complaints? Hell, I don't really like children all that much, but here I am. The only things I like about this place, are my mate and _our_ pups. I don't like other people's pups, just my own,” the Beta added at the look of confusion on Dean's and Cas's faces. “Other people's kids are loud and messy, and don't get me wrong, mine are too, but... I dunno, it's just different when it's your own, ya know?”

The pair were just about to shake their heads 'no', but the doctor caught his own mistake.

“Right, right, ya don't know yet. But you will. I promise you, once those little ones are out in the world, they're gonna be the love of your life. Mark me on that.”

As weird as it sounds, the doctor's half rant/half pep talk actually made Dean feel a little better. He looked down and placed his hand over his stomach, imagining the little lives held within. He still wasn't completely happy about it, though he knew Cas was ecstatic. He could practically _feel_ the happiness flowing off of the Alpha in waves. Maybe if he was lucky he could be infested with some of that happiness too. Well, he could at least _try_ , right?

“Okay, doc,” Dean said on a sigh as he met the doctor's eyes, “so what's next?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMC, QUINTS!!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmmm... I feel like I need to apologize for this chapter beforehand.
> 
> I am so very sorry.
> 
> This one actually fought with me a bit. There was a LOT of information I wanted to give you in this chapter, and I just hope I delivered it properly.
> 
> Also, WARNINGS for mentions of suicide and suspicions of murder. Beware.

Another meeting! He had to attend yet _another_ meeting! He'd just _left_ a meeting held at Gabriel's subaquatic facility a few days ago. The only good thing about _this_ meeting was that he didn't have to _go_ anywhere in order to attend. Braving the harsh wasteland that used to be Earth was not something that he wanted to do again any time soon. He'd lost two members of his party the last time he'd gone out.

After the world's nuclear plants were left unattended, due to the rapid decrease in the human population, explosions more powerful than any recorded in history pockmarked the planet, leaving the areas shrouded in toxic radioactivity that had still not dissipated. However, traveling in these was necessary, mainly to find and rescue survivors, many of whom suffered severe radiation poisoning and other nasty side effects. Some were found healthy, however, having been able to avoid the radioactive zones.

Another reason to brave the outside was to attend endless meetings. The Council agreed that all scheduled meetings were to be held in-person at one of their six facilities – on a rotational schedule – so that no one Council member would feel slighted or over-empowered.

This, however, was an unscheduled meeting, and while he was glad that he didn't need to brave the outside in full gear with an accompanying team, he was still worried about the topic of discussion. Unscheduled meetings were only called in the event of an emergency.

What could _possibly_ have happened in the short amount of time that's passed since the last meeting?

He burst into his office's anteroom, where his secretary jumped up from his desk, started by the sudden entrance, and said, “Sir, the rest of the Council members have already rung in. They're waiting for you now.”

“Thank you, Marco. Hold all of mah calls and reschedule mah other appointments. I dunno how long this is gonna take.”

“Yessir.” Marco sat back down and did as he was told.

Benny never stopped walking as he spoke to his secretary, and in no time he'd crossed the space and reached the wooden double doors to his office proper. He swung them open dramatically was immediately greeted by the five faces of the other Council members, each of them occupying one of the screens embedded into the wall behind his desk. However, as his office doors swung shut behind him, he noticed that something was off.

“What is this?” Benny asked in confusion. “Who are these two?”

As a rule, the Council always consisted of six members: a male and a female from each of the three Designations. Benny was the male Beta, Jody the female. Uriel and Abby (seriously, what kind of name was 'Abaddon', anyway?) took the positions of the two Alphas. Finally, the Omega positions were taken by Gabriel and Anna, yet neither of them were present at the moment. Instead, two new faces filled their respective monitors.

“That,” drolled Uriel, looking bored, yet still smug, as always, “is part of the reason we're here. There has been a rather... _unforeseen_ set of circumstances.”

“What do you mean? What's happened?” This was asked by Jody, her brow knit in concern.

“Well,” Abby said, leaning forward slightly, her red crimson locks draping themselves over her shoulder, “It's Gabriel. He's dead.”

“What?!” Jody and Benny exclaimed simultaneously.

“What the hell happened?” Jody demanded, mirroring Benny's sentiments.

“Suicide,” Uriel intoned emotionlessly.

Jody was struck silent, her face a mosaic of shock and hurt, but Benny had a few things to say, “What the hell do ya mean, 'suicide'! We just saw 'im. He was fine!”

“Well, that's the thing with mental illness: sometimes you can just never tell,” one of the new-comers spoke, this one coming from the screen that used to be occupied by Gabriel.

“And just who might you be?” Jody asked quietly, still recovering from her shock.

“Oh, yes. Where are our manners, Uriel?” Abby playfully scolded her fellow Alpha, one corner of her blood-red lips curling up in mild amusement. “Jody, Benny... Uriel and I would like to introduce you to Gordon and Amara. They'll be taking over Gabriel's and Anna's spots on the Council.”

“It's nice to meet the both of you,” Amara smiled, inclining her head towards the monitor.

“Yes, it's a pleasure,” Gordon said, inclining his head in the same fashion as Amara, a tiny, perpetual smirk tugging at one of the corners of his mouth.

Benny and Jody politely greeted the new members halfheartedly, but there were a million questions that needed to be answered. None of this made any _sense_!

“Alright...” Benny said slowly, trying to gather his thoughts. “Gabriel's dead?”

“That's right,” Uriel answered. Still looking bored.

“But... what happened to Anna?” Jody asked quietly, obviously fearing the worse.

“Oh, don't worry,” Abby smiled sweetly, “she's fine. But after Gabriel's death, the poor thing just couldn't stand to stay. So, she regretfully stepped down.”

Benny was beginning to get a little angry. Firstly, his good friend Gabriel is dead, having committed _suicide_ , and neither of the Alphas seemed to care. Now they're saying that Anna has 'stepped down', without warning?! “So, how did two new Council members get elected to fill their positions? That's gotta be decided by a vote!”

“And it was!” Abby declared, seeming hurt by Benny's implications.

Uriel spoke up, saying, “Before Anna stepped down, we spoke to her – Abby and I – and the three of us decided that Gordon and Ruby would make excellent additions.”

“But it has to be a _majority_ vote,” Jody protested, her face shadowed in anger, much like Benny's. “We need a four-out-of-six agreement for anything to pass!”

“Ah yes, but with poor Gabriel gone, that left only five Council members in total,” Amara explained, clearly having been given a layout of the rules. “Which means only a three-out-of-five vote was needed. That was Uriel, Abby, and Anna.”

“We didn't see the need to bother you two with it, seeing as we already had a majority ruling,” Uriel said.

“But... Anna would never do that!” Jody announced indignantly. “She would let us _all_ know if she were stepping down so that we could _all_ decide on replacements _together._ ”

“Yes but, as I've said, the poor thing was _quite_ distraught over Gabriel's death,” Abby explained, her voice and features dripping with mock sympathy. “She just couldn't see staying in office for even another day. So we took pity on her. It seemed cruel to make her stay any longer than she could stand.”

What has happened to the Council! It had only been a couple days since they last convened. Benny had only been home for a day and a half of that time, so far. He wanted to weep for the loss of his good friend and colleague. He wanted to comfort sweet Anna in her time of suffering, even though he knew he couldn't. Since she was no longer a member of the Council, she would have had her mind erased again. She would know that she'd served on the Council, but she would know none of the details. As a result, she wouldn't even be mourning the death of Gabriel.

There was just too much going on all at once, and he needed time to think, but that was a luxury he was not allowed at this time. “Is there gonna to be a service for Gabriel?”

“His Alpha and his Omega bond-mates wish to have a _private_ ceremony,” Uriel informed.

“Of course,” Benny sighed. He would have liked to attend, but he would respect their wishes for privacy. He'd still like to contact Gabriel's family to offer his condolences, nevertheless. He vaguely wondered if Jody would do the same thing. She seemed awfully quiet at the moment.

“Oh and Benny? Jody?” Abby said, regaining the attention of the Betas who each seemed to have gotten lost in thought. Once the Betas were paying attention again, Abby continued. “Now that the... unpleasantness is out of the way, we'd like to re-open discussions from our previous meeting.”

Benny's heart seemed to drop from his chest, sinking through the floor as it did so. “What d'ya mean...?” Surely they didn't still want to discuss those _ridiculous_ policies! They'd gotten rid of one and denied the implementation of another. And for good reason!

“Well, since there are two new members on the Council, we thought it would only be fair if they were given a say in the recent changes we've made, and _didn't_ make.” Uriel no longer looked bored. In fact, if Benny didn't know any better, he'd say the male Alpha looked positively _gleeful._

“But, those discussions have been closed! We can't just re-open them without-”

“Yes, without a majority vote,” Gordon interrupted. “Abby, Uriel, Amara and I have all voted to re-open the discussions.”

This can't be happening. None of this can be happening. Surely two _Omegas_ wouldn't sign off on such atrocities! No, no... nothing about this seemed right. None of it seemed right _at_ _all_!

Jody spoke up again. “Surely you can't mean-”

“Yes,” Amara said, clearly not shy about making her voice heard, “Gordon and I thought it would be worth revisiting policy numbers 3698 and 3699, regarding Phase Two and Omega mates, respectively.”

“But, I thought we _agreed_ , that the Omega portion of Phase Two was unnecessary, not to mention _inhumane_!” Jody all but exploded. “We _agreed_ that Omegas didn't need to be _raped_ just to prove that their mating had been successful! Especially not by Alphas who are _obviously_ unhinged! We _agreed_ that-”

“The _old_ Council agreed,” Gordon interjected. “With two new Omegas, I'd like to think this could be considered a whole new Council. Well,” he shrugged, “a new _dynamic_ , anyway.”

So that was the game! During the last meeting, the Betas and Omegas had agreed that they should abolish the Omega portion of Phase Two after witnessing what had happened to one Omega named Dean. The Alphas, however, didn't see a problem with what had happened. In fact, they thought the Beta and Omega Council members were being a bit silly. It's not like any of the Omegas would _remember_ what had happened to them, and the Alphas who were involved were all on fertility blockers while working, so mated Omegas couldn't get pregnant by an Alpha that wasn't there's. So what was the big deal?

“This is insane!” Benny shouted. “We already voted and-”

“Well, it's time for a new vote,” Abby stated, sounding far too happy. “All in favor of reinstating policy number 3698: the Omega portion of Phase Two, say 'aye'.”

“AYE!” The Omegas and Alphas all agreed.

“All opposed...”

“Nay!” Benny shouted.

“Nay! Absolutely not!” Jody said a second later, banging her hand on her desk.

“The 'ayes' have it,” Uriel announced. “The motion passes.”

Benny felt like he was going to be sick. They had _just_ eradicated that portion of phasing, now they were bringing it back before any Omegas could even be spared the atrocities. “Wait-”

“Now for the vote on the implementation of policy number 3699...” Abby announced.

“Hold on a minute!” Jody shouted.

“All in favor...?”

“AYE!”

“NAY!!” The Betas shouted in unison.

“Motion passes.” The Alphas and Omegas smiled and congratulated each other while the Betas stood motionless and dumbstruck.

What the hell just happened?

“But... but you're Omegas! How could you want something like this to happen to you _and_ your fellow Omegas!” Jody demanded to know.

Amara scoffed. “It's not like any of us actually _remember_ what happened during Phase Two. Gordon and I didn't know until we joined the Council recently.”

“Yeah,” Gordon added, “and it's necessary to ensure that the mating bite has successfully bonded the Omega to their Alpha, and-”

“But there are other ways that can be accomplished!” Jody insisted.

“Yes! There are simulations, non-invasive experimentation and plenty of other options-” Benny was cut off by Uriel.

“But none of those other methods are as quick and effective as Phase Two.”

“This is ridiculous-”

“And as for policy number 3699,” Amara interrupted Jody, “well... Uriel explained this very well. Uriel?” Amara prompted the Alpha.

“It's like this,” Uriel began as he leaned forward a little, his face filling up his monitor just a little more, “each of the family units we have in our facilities are like hen houses.”

“Hen houses?” Benny parroted incredulously.

“Yes. Henhouses. And in a henhouse, you have one rooster and multiple hens. That way, you get a pretty decent egg production, right?”

Benny's brow knit together and he shook his head. “I don't-”

“So,” Uriel continued speaking as if Benny hadn't said anything, “if you only have _one_ rooster and just _one_ lil old hen, what happens to egg production?”

Jody's and Benny's eyes widened as they caught on to what Uriel was saying.

“That's right! Egg production drops. So if we want to produce the most amount of eggs, then we... anybody?” The Alpha male prompted.

“Then we can't have any single-Omega pairs!” Amara answered.

“Correct. Now, as I understand, we each have at _least_ one single-Omega pair, correct? And Benny, I believe you've got two such pairs, am I right?”

Benny didn't answer, merely glared at Uriel with every ounce of malice he could muster.

“I'll take that as a 'yes'. So, since we've _agreed_ that we need to rectify this situation, I suggest that we get those Alphas back into phasing and assign them some more mates!”

“But...” Benny tried, “but we don't have any more candidates! They've all been integrated already and-”

“Oh, not to worry,” Abby said, “we've found a few more pockets of survivors hiding out in the wilderness. They're very ill, but they're going through processing as we speak. They should be healthy and ready for Phase One in just a few days.”

“No!” Benny shouted. “No! I ain't gonna subject more Omegas to that shit show in Phase Two!”

“Neither will I!” Jody added. “It's... monstrous. How can we condone something like this? And our single-Omega pairs have already been integrated and situated. We can't just disrupt their lives like that-”

“Are you saying,” Amara cut Jody off mid-sentence, “that you are _refusing_ to fulfill your duties as Council members and Facility Administrators?”

Both Benny and Jody were silent. Both furious.

Benny was positively _livid_ , but he was still thinking a mile a minute. There just _had_ to be a way out of this.

“Because if you are,” Uriel added, “then it seems we need to have another vote regarding your positions here and-”

“No!” The Betas both interjected simultaneously.

“No,” Jody gritted through her teeth. “We're not refusing. Right, Benny?”

Benny was silent.

“Benny?!” Jody said.

Finally, the Beta male came back to himself. “Uh, yeah... Yes! That's right. M'not refusin'.”

“Well. Good. I'm glad that's settled.” Abaddon clapped her hands in front of herself then asked, “Is there any more business we need to discuss?” When everyone answered in the negative she said, “Great! Well I, for one, think that was a very productive meeting. We should do this again sometime! I'll be seeing you all at our next meeting at my facility next month.”

Without further ado, her screen went blank, signaling that she had signed off, followed closely by Ruby and Gordon. Uriel smirked proudly at Benny before his face was also replaced by darkness.

Benny and Jody were the last ones left. They didn't say anything, just looked at each other pitifully, before she too signed off. He would have liked very much to have a chat with his fellow Beta Council member, but he was almost certain that either one of the Alphas or one of the Omegas were monitoring them. Even though Benny couldn't see them, he knew that he could still be watched.

Running a hand over the fuzz he calls hair, he made his way to the left of his office where a small table stood, containing a small assortment of refreshments. He chose a carafe of bourbon and tilted it back, foregoing a glass, and took a long drink from it. Pulling the glass container from his lips, he closed his eyes as he felt the amber liquid burn on its way down.

Taking the small container with him, Benny trudged back to his desk and slumped down in his chair sadly. He took another swig, this one slightly smaller. As he drank, the contents getting lower and lower, he thought about all that had just happened.

It was clear to him now that the Alphas must have somehow orchestrated the events that led up to this. But how? Did Gabriel really commit suicide? Did Anna really step down willingly? Had the new Omegas had something to do with all of it? Why would they want such atrocities like those committed in Phase Two to happen to their fellow Omegas?

The whole point of having a male and a female of each Designation on the Council is so that each group would have proper representation. Someone who would have the best interests of the people at heart. But these two? How could any of what they voted on be in _anyone's_ best interest?

Benny just _had_ to find a way out of all of this.

But... _was_ there a way out of it?

 

~*~*~*~

 

 

“Okay, doc,” Dean said with a sigh as he met the doctor's eyes, “so what's next?” Cas squeezed his shoulders tighter, reassuring his Omega with his presence.

“Next,” the doctor said as he stood up from his chair in front of the mated pair, “you get as healthy as we can get you.” He reached into one of the pockets on his lab coat. “Gimme your arm.”

Dean extended his wrist out to the doctor where it was scanned with a little device from his pocket, very similar to the one the nurse had used, but this one was slightly larger and had a tiny display screen. The doctor input a few commands then placed it back in his pocket.

“Now,” the doctor said once that was done, “go down to the pharmacy on the first floor – just follow the signs, ya can't miss it. Pick up the prescription that I just wrote you for prenatal vitamins. You're gonna need as many as you can get.”

“Okay, no problem.”

“Are there any other requirements or recommendations?” Cas asked. “Dietary restrictions, bed rest, anything?”

Dean resisted giving the Alpha the most sass he could muster. He settled on bestowing a withering glare on the man. He'd just decided to accept the situation as it was, he didn't want or need his life being dictated by this _already_!

Cas, for his part, ignored the Omega. For now. He just wanted to ensure the health and safety of his mate and pups. He wouldn't apologize for that, though he suspected that he'd pay for it later.

“No, no. No bed rest. Yet. Though I suspect it will be required in the future...”

“Dammit, Cas,” Dean grumbled, with very little heat behind the words. The Alpha just _had_ to bring it up, didn't he?

“Requiring bed rest during the late stages of a pregnancy with multiples is quite common. So, chances are you _will_ need it at some point, Dean. So get used to the idea.” Doctor Rufus explained. “As for dietary requirements and restrictions, I've included a detailed list that you can view in the subsections of your daily schedule.” To Cas, he said, “Now, we can force him to come to these appointments, but we _can't_ force him to adhere to a particular diet. As long as he actually _eats_ and takes any and all medications I prescribe him, he won't be cited for child endangerment. So, I have a feelin' you may need to _convince_ him to eat healthily and take it easy.”

“Yes, I've also suspected as much,” Cas deadpanned.

“I'm right _here_!” Dean huffed in frustration.

“Yeah, I know where you are,” Rufus snarked at the Omega. “So tell me something: are you gonna _willingly_ eat fruits and veggies and healthy fats like nuts and avocados?” The disgusted look on the Omega's face told the doctor everything he needed to know. “Ya-huh,” doctor Rufus grumbled with a knowing look in Cas's direction.

“Is there anything else?” Cas asked as he removed his arm from Dean's shoulders and grabbed his hand instead, in the hopes it would help with his mate's frustration.

“Nope. Nothing much, just the usual, y'know? No heavy lifting... no runnin' faster than a jog... no alcoholic beverages... although you'll be hard-pressed to find any of _those_ around here,” the doctor lamented. “Uh, Dean, feel free to engage in some _light_ exercise, for the time being. Other than that, you fellas are free to go.” He made a move for the door.

“Thank you, very much, Doctor!” Cas got up and shook the doctor's hand.

“Yeah, thanks, doc.” Dean remained sitting for the moment.

“No problem. Now, why don't the two of you go get something to _eat_ , yeah?” He looked pointedly at Dean as he said it. Before either the Alpha or Omega could respond, the doctor was out the door and bounding down the hall, presumably to his next appointment.

Cas looked over to Dean, who was still seated on the bed by the ultrasound machine. “Are you alright, Dean?”

“Honestly? No. No, I'm not, Cas!”

“What are you thinking?”

Dean just shrugged and looked down, shoulders hunched looking as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Cas sighed and kneeled down on the floor in front of his mate, resting his hands on the Omega's thighs as he did so. He looked up into Dean's emerald gaze and said, “Is it okay if I tell you what _I'm_ thinking?”

Dean snorted and rolled his eyes at the ridiculousness of the request. “Yeah, Cas. Of course.”

“I think this is the most amazing thing in the world,” he said with complete ease and more than a little awe. “I think the most wonderful thing that could ever happen is for there to be more of _you_ , Dean. You are strong and resilient. I can tell that you're kind and caring, the most remarkable and the most _gorgeous_ person I've ever met!”

Dean smirked and scoffed. “You do realize we haven't known each other for long, right? And you don't _remember_ meeting anyone outside this facility. For all you know I could be the worst kind of scum this side of the-”

“Dean!” Castiel scolded harshly, his fingers tightening on Dean's thighs, his voice taking on a timbre that demanded obedience. Though he didn't mean to do it, it did have the desired effect of stopping Dean from further belittling himself in his presence. “I never want to hear that kind of talk coming from you again! Understand?”

Dean silently nodded, eyes wide and confused, not completely comprehending what just happened. He wanted to say more on the subject, but he just... couldn't! Cas – his Alpha – told him not to. He wasn't quite sure how he felt about that at the moment, but he was pretty sure he was gonna be _pissed_ about it later.

After a few moments, Cas continued, though in a much calmer voice, his hands easing their pressurized grip. “I don't _need_ a lifetime of getting to know you to realize what an amazing person you are. I can look into your eyes and know _exactly_ who you are. You're strong, kind, funny, beautiful and so, _so_ much more. You, Dean, are _wondrous_!” He lifted one of his hands off of Dean's thigh and placed it on the Omega's tummy. “And anything that is a part of _you_ , can be nothing but wondrous in return.”

Cas's words caused a small spark to ignite inside his chest, causing him to feel warm and light. His voice broke slightly, eyes welling up as he said, “Well... they're part of _you_ too, y'know,” Dean mumbled, trying to deflect some of the praise from himself. He didn't feel like he deserved any of it. His eyes continued to well up, but he would _not_ cry, dammit!

“Yes, they are,” Cas said, a small smile spreading across his face, “and I couldn't be more proud of anything.”

“Yeah, of course _you'd_ be proud,” he snarked on the tail end of a sniffle, “ _You're_ the one who did it!” Dean gripped playfully. A small smile finally gracing his features and his eyes began to dry on their own as he got back to the serious task of sassing his Alpha.

Cas's growing grin completely cracked his face wide open as he looked up and the glistening, emerald eyes of his Omega, still slightly damp from tears unshed. “ _We_ did it, Dean. _We_ did it. And just remember: you're not going to go through this alone. I will be here with you every step of the way. I promise you!”

“Yeah, yeah. _We_ did it. And... I know,” he added on a somber note. “I know you'd never make me do any of this on my own,” Dean relented, and simply because he wanted to, he leaned down, bringing his hands to the back of his mate's head, and brought the other man up for a kiss. Their lips touched lightly, the kiss hindered by matching grins.

Cas moved his hands around to Dean's back, sitting up a little higher in order to get at his beloved from a better angle. The kiss deepened, smiles fell away, lips parted to allow access as they explored each other's mouths. They stay like that for longer than they meant to, lazily exchanging kisses and whispered words of adoration.

Eventually though, and very reluctantly, they had to break apart. Cas was the first to pull away, eliciting a disgruntled groan from his mate. “I really think we should be going,” he rationalized to his grumpy Omega. “I'm sure they'll be needing this space for another patient soon.”

Dean sighed, “Yeah, you're right.”

“You ready?” When Dean nodded he said, “Alright, let's go get your prescription and then get you some _food._ Neither of us has eaten today. I bet you're hungry.”

“Yes!” Dean enthusiastically agreed.

“Alright,” Cas chuckled, “let's get going.” He stood, offering his hand to his mate who took it gratefully. Dean rose and the two of them left to follow the doctor's orders.

Dean still didn't feel 100% about all of this, but Cas had been able to make him feel a million times better, nonetheless.

Maybe he – _they_ – would be able to do this after all.

 

~*~*~*~

 

He couldn't just sit there in his office and do _nothing_ , could he? Uriel and Abby had obviously done _something_ to orchestrate all of this. The more he thought about it, the more he believed that Gabriel couldn't have _possibly_ committed suicide. He just couldn't have! And Anna stepping down, seemingly on the same day? No. NO! It all seemed just a bit too contrived. Too much of a coincidence. He had to expose those Alphas for what they were and he had to do it fast!

But he needed proof. He couldn't wildly accuse fellow Council members of contrivances and conspiracy without hard, irrefutable and undeniable proof of any and all wrong-doings. Anything less and he'd be accused of falsehoods himself and kicked off the Council for his trouble.

He _had_ to talk to Jody!

She had seemed just as blindsided by all of this as he was. The problem was he would have to travel to her facility and talk with her personally. Any attempts at communication remotely could – and most definitely _would_ – be monitored by any and all other members of the Council. However, in each facility, there's always at least one conference room that is free of any and all surveillance, accessible only to Council members so that a private conversation could be had if it was absolutely necessary. And this was most definitely necessary.

It had been two days since that disastrous excuse for a Council meeting, where he was informed that new survivors had been found. It usually took between 7and 10 days for new candidates to be prepared for phasing, longer if they've been exposed to radiation, which these obviously had been. So, at most, he would have about two weeks to make it to Jody's compound, come up with some sort of plan with her while he's there, and return to his own facility before the new recruits were delivered.

He would have to start packing right away; he had to inform Charlie that he was leaving, and he still needed to call Sam and ask him how he and his other Omegas were coping with losing Gabriel. He's sure they must have had the funeral service by now, but the last few times he tried contacting them, there was no response. He had to at least _try_ one more time before he left. Eileen and Jessica were both strong Omegas, but they were still very close with their bond-mate. They'd no doubt be just as devastated as Sam. The Alpha loves all of his Omegas dearly, so this was no doubt a huge blow.

Benny mentally shook himself, there was no time to lose – he had things he needed to do, atrocities to prevent, Council members to overthrow. A wife to inform. Although he knew Charlie would miss him and worry, he also knew that she'd have Dorothy, another Beta, to keep her company. The two had been romantically involved for some time now, and he was okay with it. It was quite common for Betas to seek romantic involvement with other Betas when their spousal assignments didn't match with their sexual preferences.

He stood from the desk in his office, preparing to set about his business and the errands he'd have to run before he could set off. He strode over to the door, and just as he was reaching up to open it, there was a sharp rap on the thick wood. Curious, he opened the door wide to see who it was.

It was only his secretary, a small Omega by the name of Marco.

“Hiya, Marc. What can I do for ya?”

“Uh, well...” he stalled as if looking for the best way to phrase what needed to be said. “It's um, you have a, uh, request... for an audience?”

Benny sighed, world-weary, running a hand over his face. The duties of a Facility Administrator never ceased. “Inform them that I'm very sorry, but I'll need to reschedule. I have things that need to be seen to.”

“Well, it's just...” the Omega stumbled over his words.

Benny had already swept past Marco and was making his way to the set of double doors that would allow him to exit the anteroom and into the corridor. He needed to make it back to his place and start packing as soon as possible. “Not now, Marc,” he called over his shoulder, “I've gotta-” he cut himself off mid-sentence as he swung open the set of heavy doors and was met with the familiar and friendly face of none other than the formidable Council member Jody.

“What you've _gotta_ do,” she informed him, “is get your ass over to Conference Room A. We've gotta talk. _Now._ ”

 


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay guys, I know this chapter is SUPER late, but I just had this major case of writer's block. I mean, seriously, I thought that LAST chapter fought me, but his one damn near kicked my ass! So I'm sorry about that. I can't promise that it won't happen again, but I CAN promise that I won't be giving up on this story. Like, ever!
> 
> I also wanted to inform you guys that I've got someone who has agreed to draw up some sketches of the Alpha, Beta and Omega uniforms for me! Yay for artistic relatives! 
> 
> My father is the one I scammed- I mean PERSUADED – to draw them for me, but I don't know how long it's going to take. However, as soon as he gets it done, I'll post them on the appropriate chapter. 
> 
> Thanks a heap for all of your patience!

It had been just a couple of days since Dean's appointment with Doctor Rufus. He was diligently taking his prenatal vitamins twice a day, as instructed, and Cas even convinced him to choke down at least one fruit and veggie a day. The man just better be glad that he loves him!

Whoa, wait! Did that thought just cross his mind? Did he love Cas?

The thought sort of blind-sided him and he didn't really know what to make of it. The two of them had been thrown together and forced to mate and bond and reproduce, but he – neither of them – had had any choice in the matter. And sure he was fond of the guy. Cas was thoughtful and kind and patient and Dean felt like he could relax and be himself around the Alpha. But when did he start feeling like he _loved_ him?

Of course, he already knew the answer to that question: after the ultrasound when Cas was saying all those amazing things that he felt he didn't deserve to hear. Speaking of which, he needed to focus and get back to looking up what that voice was. He could focus on _feelings_ later.

Avoid! Avoid at all costs!

For now, anyway.

But that voice – the one he'd used on Dean after the ultrasound – it was like Cas's voice... but not. It was hard to describe. He really couldn't even remember what it sounded like. Like a dream he couldn't quite recall, it danced just past his fingertips, right outside his grasp, every time he reached for it.

Whatever it was, Dean didn't like that one bit. As soon as the words had left Cas's mouth it had been impossible for him to disobey. Was Cas even aware that he'd done it?

Dean was sitting on the couch in the living room, his feet propped up on the coffee table in front of him. He was thumbing through the handbook that had been left for them on the little table in their bedroom. He and Cas and been taking turns going through it over the last couple of days. It was all about Alpha and Omega biology and tendencies.

It was all pretty interesting: Alphas were possessive and territorial; Omegas were natural nurturers and caregivers; both Alphas and Omegas purr (or emit a low rumbling noise) when content and/or sexually sated.

It had been noted, however, that while all of these things were typical of Alpha and Omega behavior, it does not mean that everyone will adhere to those standards 100%. Some Omegas don't have a nurturing bone in their body, while some Alphas feel no need for posturing or possessiveness.

He was still reading through the handbook when there was a knock on the front door. His head swung in the direction of the noise and he froze, unsure of what to do. He was home alone at the moment since Cas had left a few hours ago for his new job assignment in the hospital wing. He was going to be trained as a member of the medical profession and he wouldn't be back home until later. Dean hadn't gotten a job assignment yet and there was nothing on his schedule for the day – besides taking his medication – so he just had to wait.

The knock repeated, more insistent than before. Should he answer it? What if it's Alistair again? And Cas wasn't there to back him up if things went sideways. Maybe he should just pretend not to be home. If he just stayed quiet then maybe whoever-it-was would go away.

Another knock, but this time it was accompanied by voice, muffled by the thick steel door: “Hey, you gonna leave a girl out here all day?”

So not Alistair. It almost sounded like, “Meg?” Dean called out as he stood from his position on the couch and made his way over to the door, tossing the handbook down onto the table in front of him as he went.

“Yeah, now open up!”

Dean reached the door, hand on the knob, but then he stopped himself right before he opened the door to allow her in. He closed one eye and leaned forward to take a cautionary peek through the peephole.

A shock of wavy, raven hair framing a lovely, heart-shaped face peered back at him.

Letting out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, he turned the knob and took a step back as he swung the door wide. From the hall, Meg stepped through the doorway without preamble, bringing with her a waft of cherries and lilacs, with just a hint of smoke underlying it.

The smokey scent underlying her natural pheromones made Dean's brow crease and his lip curl in displeasure, but he quickly schooled his features so as not to offend the other Omega, but something in his own scent must have tipped her off because Meg looked at him with a single raised eyebrow.

She didn't comment on it, however. All she said was, “Heya, tiger. How's it hangin'?”

“Uh... hey Meg. What's goin' on?”

“Oh, nothing. Can't a neighbor drop in and say hello?” Without waiting for a reply, Meg stepped around Dean and into the kitchen. There was a ubiquitous fruit bowl sitting on the counter, at Cas's insistence. Meg snatched up a shiny, red apple and took a huge, crunching bite. “I'm stealing an apple, by the way,” she announced belatedly, mouth full and voice muffled as she spoke around the hunk of fruit.

“Help yourself,” Dean said sardonically as he rolled his eyes.

Meg then breezed past Dean once again, and made her way to the living room, where she plopped down on the couch – in Dean's recently vacated spot – and placed her feet up on the table, much the same way Dean had been a few moments before, her feet crossed at the ankles. The only noticeable difference was that her belly was quite a bit larger than his own, considering he wasn't exactly showing yet.

Dean stared after her, incredulously, but then followed her to the couch. For a few moments, he just stood and stared at her, not sure what to do about this bossy little Omega who'd just barged in and had seemingly made herself at home. She was serenely munching on her pilfered apple, one hand resting delicately over her swollen abdomen.

After just a few moments of hesitation, he tentatively took the seat next to her on the sofa.

“So, I see you've been brushing up on the provided literature.

Dean just stared at her, not having a clue what she was going on about. When he didn't answer her, she looked at him from the corner of her eye, then pointedly shifted her eyes to the coffee table with the discarded handbook still resting on top.

Dean followed her eyes, then his face lit up with understanding. “Oh! Yeah. I've been, uh, just trying to figure out some stuff.”

“Hmm,” Meg said, nodding thoughtfully, “what 'stuff'?”

“Umm, well,” Dean stalled, not sure if he should bring it up. He wasn't sure if it was a topic that he should be sharing with a stranger. He barely knew her, after all. However, she did seem to know quite a bit more about what was going on in this place than he did. It was obvious that she'd been there longer. Also, she was a fellow Omega, shouldn't there be some form of solidarity between them?

Quickly, before he could change his mind, he explained to her the concerns he'd been having about the voice that Cas had used with him after his ultrasound a couple of days before. It didn't seem like it should be that big of a deal, but he just couldn't let it go. If there's any way that his free will could somehow be overridden, then he had to know about it and nip it in the bud.

“Oh, that.”

Dean couldn't tell by the sound of her voice how she felt about that. But then he remembered to scent the air – there was a whole section about scents in the handbook – and he could tell from how her cherries went from fresh to slightly tart, that she was angry, though only slightly. As if this were something that she'd had to deal with for a while and wasn't as angry about it anymore as she could be.

“Well, that's easy to explain,” she continued, after taking another bite from her apple, which was half gone by that point. She removed her feet from the coffee table and half turned so that she was facing Dean, one foot on the floor and the other bent in front of her on the couch. “It's called Alpha Voice. Capital V. It's a biological side-effect that Alphas developed. I don't think the guys in charge meant for that little development to arise – or maybe they did... whatever,” she waved away the thought. “Anyways, Alphas can use it to control their Omegas. Make them _obey_.” Meg spat out the last word, rolling her eyes as she did.

Dean scoffed, “Well that's absolute bullshit. So they can just take away our free will whenever they want?”

“Pretty much,” she gave a one-shoulder shrug. “But only your Alpha has such a strong effect on you. If another Alpha uses it, it'll have an effect, but not nearly as much as your mate.”

Dean scowled and shook his head, looking away for a moment. He studied the cloudy display on the fake window behind the other Omega. After a moment he said, “So, is there just no way to, like, fight back or something?”

“Well, yeah...” Meg said thoughtfully, taking another tiny bite. “It _is_ possible to resist any order your Alpha gives you using the Voice, but it takes a considerable amount of willpower to defy a Voiced order from your Alpha. Not many are able to pull it off.”

“But it's possible?”

“ _Possible_? Yes. _Probable_? No.”

That made Dean feel a little better, though not much. At least he knew now that he stood a chance if Cas tried that crap again, not that he would, especially after they had a little talk about it. Cas wouldn't deliberately strip him of his free will. Would he?

“So... trouble in paradise? Already?”

Dean shook himself from his reverie and looked back at the other Omega, a knowing smirk gracing her features. “What?” he asked, honestly confused.

“Well, if you're asking about the Voice already, I can only assume that Clarence has already used it on you. And you didn't like it one little bit, amiright?”

“Uh, his name is Castiel.”

“Whatever,” she lifted one shoulder and let it fall. “Clarence sounds better, though.”

Sighing, Dean answered, “Yeah, well. He did. And no, I didn't like it.”

“Mm. Well, it happens.” After a few moments of silence between the two of them, Meg asked, “Where is he, anyway?”

“Oh, uh, he got his job assignment. He's gonna be going through medical training. He left a little while ago for his first day.”

“Oh, that's nice. Good for you. It'll be nice having a member of the medical staff on hand when your little ones arrive.”

Dean shifted uncomfortably, not wanting to talk about it. He easily deflected, however, when he said, “Well, what about your mate? _Alistair._ Where's he?” Even just saying the guy's name made him feel ill.

“He left for work, as well. About an hour ago.”

“What does he do?” He avoided saying 'what kind of job would a guy like _that_ have?'

“I have no. Fucking. Clue!”

“What?”

“None of us do,” she said, indicating her and all of Alistair's other Omegas.

“Really?”

“Nope. Not a clue. It's all hush-hush. Something the Council has him doing for them.”

“Well, that doesn't sound at _all_ suspicious,” Dean murmured, his voice dripping sarcasm.

“Oh, yes,” Meg said, just as sarcastically, “it's all _very_ on the up-and-up.” She nodded her head dramatically to add to the effect.

They met each other's eyes for a moment, then busted out in a fit of giggles (though Dean, of course, let out manly guffaws. Definitely _not_ giggles!)

After that, they each relaxed a bit more as they talked – though Dean was the one who did most of the relaxing since Meg had already seemed as relaxed as she could possibly get. They ate more fruit together (Dean only grumbled slightly), and gossiped.

Meg told him about her life with four Omega bond-mates and a horde of Alistair's children, though most of them spent a majority of their time in one of the nurseries or one of the play areas. Many of the children in the facility spent time there, often staying the night, as they were looked after by the childcare staff.

Dean told her about the few days that he and Cas had been together, and the two of them compared notes about their first encounters with their respective mates. Meg had been the third of Alistair's mates, nearly 5 years ago, so the Alpha already knew the procedure, although he didn't enlighten Meg on any of it. He had simply climbed on top of her, forced himself between her legs and told her to just-

“Lie there and _take_ _it_!” Meg and Dean spoke simultaneously.

Meg frowned at Dean, eyes narrowing slightly when she said, “How... did you know that?”

Dean blinked a few times, not sure what had just happened. As Meg spoke, he kind of went off into his own little headspace as she recounted her mating with Al. He hadn't even realized that he'd spoken out loud until Meg brought him back to reality.

It took him a moment to answer her, but once he did, he stuttered a bit, saying, “Oh, I – uh, don't know?” He shook his head slightly, a frown pulling at his own features as well. “It just... seems like something he'd say?” He looked back and Meg's face, which was still shadowed in mild suspicion, but after a few moments she let it go.

“Yeah, alright...” They sat in silence for a few more minutes, then Meg said, “Well, I should get outta here.” As she stood, Dean jumped up to help her, but she gracefully made it to her own feet without any assistance. “Now, now. No need to coddle me. This isn't my first time, and I'm only 4 months in.” She kindly waved Dean away as she walked towards the door, followed closely by Dean as he walked her out.

When they were standing in the open doorway, Dean said, “This was... actually not terrible.”

Meg huffed a laugh, “No, definitely not terrible. We should do it again sometime, yeah?”

“Yeah, definitely. Stop by anytime.”

Meg smiled then took off down the hall to the left, apparently going back home.

Dean closed the door behind her and walked back to the couch, but he didn't sit. Instead, he just stood in the middle of the living room, eyes on the window display. The gathering clouds had grown even darker as the two Omegas had spoken, now the rain threatened to fall once again.

What the hell was that? How did he know what Alistair had said to Meg as they'd mated for the first time? _Did_ Alistair just seem that predictable?

Dean blinked a few times, then huffed in annoyance at himself. Of course, that's all it was. He mentally shook himself, then went about the task of cleaning up the discarded peels, pits and cores from the various fruits the two of them had eaten. He piled the rubbish into the now-empty bowl that they had retrieved from the kitchen so they didn't have to keep going back. There was a small garbage chute in the kitchen where he dumped the discards and then set the bowl back on the counter, making a mental note to refill it later.

Dean sat back on the couch, hooking his ankles together on the table as he leaned his head back with a sigh. He closed his eyes for a few moments and just let his mind wander. He didn't nap, he just... relaxed. Why not, right? It wasn't like he had anything else to do for the day. He wasn't sure how long he'd sat there. It couldn't have been more than 15 or 20 minutes.

“ _Oh, such pretty noises.” … Alistair fucked into Dean's hole even harder … “...getting close already, aren't you, you naughty Omega?” … “You're just gonna have to lie there and_ take it _.”_

Dean jumped up from the couch, eyes wild, breath coming in shallow gasps. He could smell his own distress oozing off of him, permeating the air around him, viscous and nearly tangible. He took a few deep breaths as he tried to get his heart rate back under control. After a few minutes, he said, “What the hell was _that_?!” It was almost like he was _there_ , with Alistair as he was... he couldn't even _think_ it. If he did, those images would just get dredged up again.

Seriously, what _was_ that?! Maybe his conversation with Meg had gotten him on edge? Yeah, that's gotta be it. What else could it possibly be?

 

~*~*~*~

 

Conference Room A.

Jody stormed into the room, followed closely by Benny who was hot on her heels. Neither of them dared to say a word until the door was safely closed and locked, ensuring that the two had absolute privacy before they began.

The room was pretty ordinary, as far as conference rooms went, though a bit larger. It had a long, oval-shaped table, with chairs encircling it all the way around. There was a monitor hanging on one wall and a window display taking up another.

Conference Room A did, however, boast a rather impressive snack and beverage bar to one side. It was reminiscent of a bar one might see in a tavern, complete with countertop and an array of beverages and snacks on display behind it, though it was available for any occupants to help themselves.

The main feature, and the most important, was that there was no surveillance whatsoever. Which was perfectly acceptable, since only Council members were permitted to use it.

Once they were sure they were alone and had absolute privacy, Jody whirled around to face Benny, saying, “It's all a sham! The Council. Gabriel's death, Anna's resignation. I'm sure you've figured all of this out by now?”

Benny sighed heavily. He made his way to the conference table and sat down at one of the tables with a defeated whump. “Yeah, darlin'. I figured it out.” He turned sideways so the table was to his right and he could face the other Beta while he slouched down in the office chair, one leg stretched out in front of him, one of his elbows resting on the table. He ran a hand down his face, stopping to rub at his eyes, which had begun to sprout dark marks underneath them.

Jody stood over him, her arms crossed over her chest as she stared at him incredulously. “ _And_? Do you have any idea what we're gonna _do_ about it? We can't just let this happen!”

“I know, Jody,” Benny was just exhausted. He'd been drinking mostly for the past couple of days, and he hadn't had much sleep as he mourned the loss of his friend and colleague.

“Okay, so you _know._ Now, what are you doing with that knowledge?”

Benny scoffed and looked Jody in the eyes, “And just what am I _supposed_ to be doin' with that knowledge, Jody?” He shook his head at the thought and leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes as he did so.

“Benny.” The male Beta just ignored her. “Benny!” Jody slammed her and down on the table, loud enough to get a satisfying start from the man as he jumped back to up to a sitting position and glared at her indignantly.

“Dammit woman, what are ya tryna do?!”

“I'm _trying_ to talk to you! Now will you stop feeling sorry for yourself and focus on the issues here!”

“Okay, fine. I'll focus.” He stood up and started pacing the room, gesturing wildly as he spoke. “Should I focus on the fact that my friend was murdered? Huh? Or the fact that the folks responsible are most likely sitting members of this Council? Or the fact that there ain't a _lick_ of evidence that can indicate any of 'em, or any form of foul play, in general?

“Or the fact that even if I _did_ manage to scrounge up some sort of damning evidence, it wouldn't do a damn bit of good since the entire Council seems to be against us now? The Omegas are obviously in the Alphas' pockets, so what are _we_ supposed to do, Jody, hm? You tell me just _exactly_ what we're supposed to be doin' with that information!”

Benny stopped his pacing and whirled around to face the smaller Beta. He was breathing heavily after his rant, his pale, blue eyes were piercing and wild as he pinned Jody with an intimidating glare.

“ _That's_ better.” One corner of Jody's mouth quirked up slightly as she took in the sight before her.

Some of the wind and come out of his sails after what Jody just said, but Benny still looked fierce and ready to fight. “Excuse me?” He said. That's not exactly what he had been expecting to hear, although he wasn't sure _what_ he was expecting the other Beta to say, _that_ definitely wasn't it.

“There's that _fire_ I need to see in you. Ever since I got here you've looked dead on your feet, but I need you alive and kicking if we're gonna kick some ass!”

Benny rolled his eyes, and released another weary sigh, running his hand over the fuzz on his head. “Okay, but _how_?”

Jody grinned mischievously and said, “Well, we've gotta fight fire with fire.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it was so short. I'll try making the next one logner for you guys. 
> 
> Also, I noticed a continuity error. When Dean and Cas were watching Dean's entrance interview video, the interviewer said that Sam had been accepted and that he was immune, which would have made him a Beta (like Charlie, Benny and Jody). However, I had decided to mate him with Gabriel, Jess and Aileen, which would make him an Alpha. So I went back and slightly changed that chapter so that the interviewer doesn't say anything about Sam being immune.
> 
> The new story, regarding Sam, is that he was infected and survived, just like Dean, except he was given an Alpha implant.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See endnotes for trigger warning. I didn't want to put them here in because they contain mild spoilers.

When Cas entered their apartment, he immediately knew that something was wrong. The scent of Omega distress heavily permeated the air and panic rose in the Alpha's chest.

“Dean?” the Alpha ran through the main living area, but his mate wasn't in sight. “Dean!” he ran down the hall and to their bedroom calling out his mate's name as he went.

He found the Omega in their bedroom, huddled on the bed in the fetal position. He was sobbing and trembling slightly and he didn't seem to notice his mate standing in the doorway on the verge of panic.

“Dean!” Castiel rushed over to his mate's side. He crouched down next to the bed and reached his hand out to place it on Dean's shoulder. “Dean...” he said again, gently.

As soon as the Alpha's hand touched his trembling shoulder, Dean jumped up with a start. He scrabbled away from Cas, away from his touch, to the other end of the bed. He nearly fell off of the other side in his attempt to escape. His breathing was fast and labored, his eyes were wide and wild with fear and surprise as he stared up at his mate, but not really seeing him.

“Dean, it's okay. It's only me,” Cas said placatingly, his hands in the air to show he meant no harm. “It's me.”

“Cas...” Dean finally seemed to see his mate. He relaxed a great deal before he quickly crawled back over to the Alpha and wrapped his arms around his mate and buried his face in the man's neck.

Castiel gratefully returned the embrace and tilted his head to one side to give his mate better access, allowing the Omega to take comfort in his scent.

After a few moments of silence, and Dean almost aggressively scenting Cas, the Alpha gently repositioned the two of them so that they were both sitting on the bed together. They had been in a position where Cas was standing next to the bed and Dean was kneeling on it with his arm wrapped around the Alpha, but Cas was sure that they'd both be more comfortable in a slightly more horizontal position.

They sat like that for a long while, neither of them speaking, just wrapped around each other as Dean took some much-needed comfort while Cas gladly gave it. He alternated between stroking Dean's back and carding his fingers through the Omega's chestnut locks, which were only slightly damp from sweat, and shushed him when his trembling or sobs returned.

After a while, when Dean seemed to have calmed down enough, Cas ventured to ask, “So... do you want to tell me what happened while I was gone?” Dean was silent for a while longer. When it became apparent that he wasn't going to answer, Castiel prompted him again. “Dean. What happened?” More silence. “Please, talk to me?” He planted a gentle kiss to the man's head as he continued to stroke his back.

When Dean still seemed intent on remaining silent, Cas was going to just give up and simply provide Dean with the comfort he obviously needed, but then he spoke up. “I- I dunno, man. It just... it makes no _sense._..”

Cas's brow furrowed in confusion. “What makes no sense?”

Dean took in a deep breath and then released it before he answered. “Meg came to visit.”

“Meg? Who's Me-”

“That pregnant Omega we met in the waiting room the other day-”

“Oh! Oh yes, I remember.” His nose crinkled in displeasure when he also remembered that she was one of Alistair's mates. She seemed nice though, so he didn't say anything about it. “But... what does she have to do with this? Why were you so distressed?” Cas was even more confused now. It took him a moment to puzzle it out, but then it dawned on him. “Wait! Did- did he come here too? Did he do something to you? I swear I'll kill him if he-” Cas tensed up, preparing to jump out of bed to go and hunt down the other Alpha, but Dean stilled him with a hand on his abdomen.

“No, no! He wasn't here, it was just her.” Dean quickly placated the Alpha as his oak and cinnamon scent was suddenly scorched by anger and aggression. “I haven't seen him since he showed up at the door the other day.”

“Oh.” Cas's scent returned to the comforting tones that Dean had come to love, but now the Alpha was even more confused. “Dean, you're not making any sense. What _happened_? Was it something Meg said?”

“Well... sorta.”

“What do you mean?”

Dean took another deep breath before he continued. “She had come by here, just for a visit. We talked and after a while, she started telling me about when she and Alistair were first mated.” He stopped for a moment to swallow a lump that suddenly threatened to choke him. After a few moments and after a few mouthfuls of saliva had been forced down, he continued. “It's just... some of the things she told me – the stuff he did and the things he said – it all just seemed... _familiar_ somehow.”

“Familiar?”

“Yeah.”

“What about it seemed familiar?”

Dean sat up, untangling himself from Cas's grip, and just sat next to the other man with his knees drawn up and his arms around his shins. Cas let him go, though he didn't go far, and patiently waited for his mate to get his thoughts together.

When Dean was ready, he explained to Cas everything Meg had said, and the images it elicited in his mind once she'd left. But not just images. Sounds, scents and sensations accompanied what he'd seen, painting a vivid image of a scene that couldn't possibly have happened.

“After she left, and I got those first flashes, I tried to just brush it off. But, man, they just kept comin'. I don't know what the hell is happening, Cas.” He had been staring off into space as he recounted his experience, but now he turned his tear-filled eyes on his mate.

Cas nearly gasped when he saw the heartbreak on his mate's face. He wanted to destroy whatever put that expression there, but for the moment he just settled for gathering his Omega back in his arms once again, offering what comfort he could provide as Dean suffered another bout of trembling and soft sobs.

As Dean rested his head against Cas's shoulder, the Alpha's mind started reeling. What could have caused this? How could Dean have experienced those things? And _when_? The Omega was right: it _didn't_ make sense.

But what if...?

“Dean?” Cas ventured.

“Hm?” the Omega hummed his response against his mate's chest, where his head had migrated while they were cuddled together.

“Are you...” he paused, swallowed hard, “are you sure you don't remember anything from when we were separated?”

“What do you mean?” Dean sat up and looked at Cas, his face written over in confusion.

“I mean, are you sure nothing happened then? During Phase Two. Nothing at all?”

Dean thought for a moment, then said, “You think that crap could've actually happened to me? That I'm not just making it up?”

“I think it's a possibility,” Castiel answered then frowned. “That whole thing didn't make any sense to me at the time. I just didn't say anything. So many other things were going on at the time. But... why would they just keep you in a 'suspended state' while I was going through Phase Two? It makes no sense. Maybe... maybe you went through something too.”

“Why the hell would I possibly have to go through something like that? What would be the point of that?”

“I don't know, Dean,” Cas huffed. “But I don't see where else that could have happened. And I definitely don't think you could have _made up_ all of that horrible stuff.”

Dean frowned and looked away. He shook his head slightly and said, “But... I don't remember...”

Cas chuckled darkly then replied, “Since when have these people been shy about memory erasure?”

Dean sat there for a minute, stunned by the suggestion. “But... but _why_?” He asked again.

“I don't know. But I think we need to find out.” A dark and dangerous shadow passed over Cas's face before he said, “I think I really need to have a discussion with our dear neighbor, Al.” He made a move to get out of bed, but then Dean stopped him.

“Wait. Meg said he's at work. He won't be back for a while.”

Cas huffed in frustration. “Of course!” He relaxed back into his position next to his mate and wrapped a protective arm around the Omega once more.

After a few minutes, Dean said, “And why am I remembering?”

“Well,” Cas said after thinking about it, “Charlie did tell us that memory erasure is pretty delicate. Being exposed to people from our past can trigger memories. That's why she said you couldn't see your brother, remember?”

Dean nodded. He did remember. He mourned the loss of a brother that he didn't even know. At least not anymore.

“And,” Cas continued, “being in close proximity to Alistair, and reminiscing with his mate about past abuse... all of that probably triggered some of your own memories. We were warned that memory erasure is a tricky business.”

“Ugh!” Dean exclaimed, exasperated. “So what the hell were they thinking moving us so close to him?!”

“I don't know, Dean,” Cas sighed sadly. “It could have just been some gross oversight on their part.”

“Well, they're absolute dumbasses, then!”

“I agree.”

They were silent for a while longer. After a few minutes, Dean quietly said, “What are we supposed to do now?”

What _were_ they supposed to do? If it's true that Dean actually went through such a horrible experience (which Cas fully believes that he did), then the people in charge – Benny and the other members of the so-called Council – were already aware of it. They did attempt to erase the man's memories of the event, after all. So what exactly _were_ they supposed to do with that information?

“We'll figure it out, Dean,” Cas said as he wrapped his arm even tighter around his mate. “We'll figure it out. I promise.”

 

~*~*~*~

 

“So, how do ya propose we do that, darlin'? Fightin' fire with fire?”

Before answering, Jody wandered over to the snack bar and grabbed two glasses from a shelf, then snatched up a bottle full of amber liquid and made her way back to Benny with her burdens.

She set the glasses down and took a seat at the table next to Benny. She removed the glass stopper from the bottle, then filled each of the cups with the liquid and slid one across the lacquered surface of the conference table towards the other Beta. She set the bottle down, then picked up her own glass, taking a hearty gulp.

Taking the hint, Benny took up his own glass and swallowed a large mouthful. Bourbon. She remembered. He stifled a tiny grin, though he wasn't completely successful in doing so. “So what did ya have in mind?”

Jody took another sip from her glass and swallowed it down before answering him. “Well, the best I can figure it... we need to get rid of the Alphas.”

“Get rid o' the Alphas? That's your plan?” Benny asked sardonically.

“Well don't sound so excited,” Jody said, sounding slightly offended by the man's lack of enthusiasm and an even graver lack of faith. “Fire with fire, remember? Since those two went behind our backs, killed one of our friends, wiped the memories of another and brought in those two traitorous scumbags, then I figure the gloves are off, don't you think?”

“Alright, darlin', I see your point,” Benny conceded, nodding a bit, deep in thought. “So... gettin' rid of the Alphas, huh? That's big.”

“Not only that, but we need to get rid of those Omegas as well. Replace them _all_ with candidates of our choosing.”

“We're basically gonna be reshapin' the entire Council, ya know that?”

“Well, from where I'm standing, the Council needs a bit of reshaping. I mean how can we stand idly by while Omegas are being brutally raped and Alphas are soon to be forced into taking on more mates than they can handle?!”

“I agree,” Benny took another gulp from his glass, finishing off the drink. “So, what's next then?”

 

~*~*~*~

 

A few hours later, Cas had successfully calmed his mate down enough that the Omega felt comfortable untangling himself from the mass of limbs that they had created together on their bed.

“So, what are you going to do now?” Cas asked, curious as Dean stood up. He followed the other man out into the living room.

“I dunno? Maybe get outta the apartment for a while? Kinda feel like I'm gonna crawl outta my skin if I don't _do_ something. And I'd really like to get Alistair off my mind.”

“Hm. Sounds good,” Cas said approvingly. “Do you want to go down to the track for a jog? Or maybe go for a swim?” The Alpha was trying to think of some activities that wouldn't be too strenuous on a pregnant Omega, the well-being of his mate and his pups his first priority.

Dean wrinkled his nose at those ideas. “Running for no reason sounds like death, dude.”

Cas chuckled then said, “Alright, what did you have in mind?” Dean didn't even mention the swimming idea, so he assumed that was out too.

“I was thinking more along the lines of gettin' somethin' to eat... then maybe goin' from there? Kinda play it by ear.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Cas nodded his head, anything his mate wants right now, Cas will be sure he gets it. “You wanna go now?”

“Yeah, let's go.” The two of them headed for the door so they could make their way to the closest mess hall. “I'm thinking something with bacon would really hit the spot right now.”

“Dean, you should really eat something healthier,” Cas admonished.

“Hey! I've eaten at least half a bowl of fruit today. I think I've earned some bacon!”

“Half a bowl? Really?”

“Yep, check it out.” As they passed their little kitchenette on the way to the door, Dean plucked the empty bowl up from the counter, showcasing it proudly for his overbearing mate to see.

“I see,” Cas conceded, his eyebrows raised, clearly impressed. “I'm assuming Meg ate the other half?”

“Yep.” He set the bowl back on the counter.

“Hm, well we'll have to invite her over more often then. She seems to be a good influence on you.”

Dean rolled his eyes at the man's teasing. “Haha, very funny. Don't get used to it.” He pointed a warning finger at Cas. When the Alpha only chuckled at him in response, Dean had had enough of the teasing, so he pushed the Alpha towards the door and out into the hallway. The sooner they got out of there, the sooner he could have bacon!

“Alright, alright. Pushy Omega!” Cas said, though not unkindly, a grin still gracing his features.

They walked along the hall for a short while, shoulders bumping and fingers grazing each other slightly. Eventually, they gave in and simply interlocked their fingers together as they walked side-by-side, the unpleasantness of a few hours ago nearly forgotten as they just enjoyed each other's company.

Their contentedness was short-lived, however, when the familiar and unwelcome scent of smoke and ash assaulted their senses.

They paused, not moving any further. “Alistair,” Dean announced, his voice laced with apprehension and even a bit of fear, mere moments before the dreaded Alpha rounded the corner of the corridor. He stopped in his tracks when he noticed the pair standing in his path.

“Castiel... Dean... what a pleasant surprise!”

The way he said Dean's name caused the Omega to shudder unpleasantly and caused Cas's protective instincts to kick in with aggression and hostility toward the other Alpha. The threat. The need to _protect mate. Defeat threat_ a very strong and very new sensation, though he managed to maintain control of his baser instincts – but only barely.

“Alistair,” Cas acknowledged the other Alpha through gritted teeth, as he unconsciously shifted, placing himself slightly more in between Dean and Al. Though Dean was really only half blocked, giving him a clear view of the man.

Al sniffed the air subtly, closing his eyes as he did so. When he opened them, he made eye contact first with Dean, then slowly slid his gaze to Cas. A wicked grin spreading itself across his face, slick as oil.

“Why all the hostility?” he asked. “Surely a couple of neighbors can have a friendly chat in the halls.”

“Yes. A _chat._ That sounds... amicable,” Cas answered with a sneer.

“Well then,” Al answered, sounding damn near jaunty as he did, “what is it you'd like to _discuss_?”

“Dean...” Cas began, causing Alistair to raise an eyebrow in interest. “Why don't you go on ahead. I'll catch up with you.”

It took a second for Dean to catch up to what was being said. His mind had momentarily gone blank from being in such close proximity to the other Alpha. Though once his brain kick-started back into gear he suddenly got angry as Cas. “Uh, _no_! I think I'll stick around, thanks.” What the hell? Did Cas really think he was gonna leave him alone with that creep? Nuh-uh. Not happening. Bacon could wait.

“Dean...” Cas said again, but with a note of warning edged in.

“No, Cas!”

“Ya know, _Cas_ ,” Alistair interjected, perverting the pet name that Dean had given him, “you really oughta keep a tighter leash on your mate. If you want, I can give you some pointers on how to handle him better.”

“My mate doesn't need _handling_ , Alistair,” Cas gritted out. If this kept up much longer he was gonna need dentures from having clenched his teeth into dust. Cas took a deep, steadying breath to calm his nerves. If he was gonna get the man back to their apartment so they could talk privately, he was gonna need to cool it down. “Why don't we go back to our place, so we can talk?” Cas suggested.

“Sounds good to me,” Al agreed readily. “I've been wanting to get to _know_ you guys better since you moved in.” That oily smile stayed in place. “Lead the way,” he said as he gestured for them to continue down the hall.

Cas would have preferred getting Dean away from the other Alpha, but his pushy, stubborn Omega would have none of that, so he conceded on that point. The two of them led Alistair back to their apartment. Dean entered first, followed by Cas who held the door open for their guest and closed it behind him. Cas quickly stepped around Alistair, who had immediately moved further into the space. He needed to keep himself between his mate and the perceived threat.

“Aren't you going to offer me a seat?” Alistair asked with mock offense.

“Yes, of course,” Cas answered darkly. “Please, have a seat.”

Alistair made his way into the living room without further preamble, Dean and Cas not far behind him. He plopped down on the couch, draping himself over the entire thing, not leaving room for either of his hosts. The pair merely sat on the love seat together, their backs to the window display, turning diagonally so they could both see the other Alpha clearly.

“So,” Al asked conversationally, that oily smirk once again plastered to his face, “what is it that you two would like to discuss?” He lounged back, looking far too comfortable as he looked down his lashes at his hosts, though he paid greater attention to Dean than he did to Cas.

It took a moment for either of them to answer. Castiel was fantasizing about what it would feel like to tear the other Alpha's dick off and shove it down his lecherous throat. Dean was pushing back mild panic, though he wasn't so freaked out that he couldn't think about the fact that he'd have to toss the whole couch out once Alistair had vacated it. There's no way that smell was going to follow its owner out the door.

But they had to focus. Neither of them wanted the slimy Alpha in their home, wanted nothing to do with him, but there were answers that needed to be gathered and Alistair was their best bet at attaining them.

“Wait, aren't you supposed to be, y'know, at work?” Dean asked, hesitantly.

That wasn't the line of questioning that Cas had planned on taking, but it was still something that he was also wondering about, so he didn't say anything, simply looked to their neighbor for an answer.

Al chuckled, clearly amused by the pair's blundering. “It wasn't a full...” he paused, looking for the right word, “I guess you could call it a _shift._ I just had to go in so the medics could confirm that I'm still fit for work, and to give me a, uh, shot of sorts.”

“What is it that you do, exactly?” Cas asked.

“Oh... this and that,” Al answered, obviously evading the question.

“Could you be a little more specific? Please,” Cas added for good measure, although his version of 'polite' sounded more like 'screw you' than an attempt at civility.

“Hmm,” Al still seemed far too amused by the whole situation, “why so interested in my contributions to the facility, if I might ask?”

Dean and Cas exchanged a look, not sure if they should fully reveal their hand yet, or if they should wait it out and see what happens.

“Wait a minute...” Al sits up and leans forward, his arms draped over his knees as he stares at the couple intently, his eyes practically boring into Dean. “You remember... don't you?” That slimy, oily smirk got even slimier.

Well, that all but confirmed it, but just to be sure...

“What d'you mean? R-remember what?” Dean asked quietly, stammering a bit.

Al chuckled a bit before he answered darkly, “Oh, sweet Dean. You know _exactly_ what I mean. And,” he added as his eyes slid over to Cas, though he still addressed Dean, “I'm guessing you've already told your big, bad Alpha mate _aaalll_ about it, am I right?”

Alistair's inquiry was met by nothing but silence. It was all he needed as confirmation.

Al laughed again as he turned his gaze back to Dean then said, “How much _do_ you remember, hmm? Do you remember my fat cock ramming into your tight, wet ass? Or do you more clearly remember my hand tightly stroking yours?” The sight of the color leaving Dean's face caused the disgusting creature to chuckle darkly once again.

The burnt cinnamon and charred oak scent of Cas's aggression filled Dean's nostrils the moment before his Alpha reacted. He launched himself at the other Alpha, fists flailing as he made contact with Alistair's jaw, eyes, stomach and kidneys – any place he could easily reach. Alistair chortled in glee the whole time as if the vicious beating he was receiving was nothing more than a harmless form of entertainment for him.

“Cas. Cas!” Dean said, then shouted when the man ignored him. As much as Dean would love to see the bastard's blood painting the walls, he didn't know what the consequences would be for killing a fellow member of the community, and he'd rather not be separated from his mate, if that were to be the case.

When Castiel continued to ignore him in favor of beating the living daylights out of their still-cackling neighbor, Dean took action. Unfreezing himself from his spot on the love seat, Dean rushed over to the fray and with no small effort tore his mate away from the raving lunatic.

The two of them had wound up on the floor after Cas had attacked. When Dean had them separated, Cas stood panting as he stared down at his adversary, still lying prone on the floor. Cas's hands had a few smatterings of blood coating his knuckles. His eyes were blown wide and wild, his hair was ruffled and even wilder than before.

“Get. Out,” Cas commanded, pure, unadulterated _Alpha_ seeping through every pore.

Al continued chuckling, not bothering to get up from the floor. “But,” he panted through cracked and bleeding lips, “don't you wanna hear about how he begged? How he _squealed_ like a pig, crying out for release as he clenched so _beautifully_ around my knot?”

And that's what did it.

He saw red.

Red behind his eyes.

Red on his fists.

Red on his clothes.

Red on the floor.

Red staining the couch.

Just. Red.

Nothing but red until the laughter died on a gurgle and a cough and the monster was finally still.

“...ean. Dean? _Dean_!” It took a while for him to hear Cas calling his name. When Dean finally heard him, it sounded like his voice was coming from far away.

Dean jumped and swung around to face Cas, sitting on the floor a few feet away from him. How had Cas gotten on the floor? He looked as if he'd fallen. Was his mate okay? “Cas...?” His voice sounded funny even to his own ears, as if it too were coming from a great distance before meeting his ears.

He looked back down.

Red.

He looked back up at his mate. “Cas... why are you on the floor?”

Cas frowned in confusion and concern. “You... you pushed me, Dean. Remember?” Dean simply shook his head. “Dean... you pushed me when I tried to stop you.”

Now it was Dean's turn to be confused. What had happened? “Stop me from what?”

Realization seemed to hit Cas all at once. “Okay, Dean. Okay.” Cas cautiously stood up from his spot on the floor. “Why don't we get you up and get you to the bathroom to a nice hot bath? How does that sound?”

A bath would be nice. “Yeah, okay.” Dean let the Alpha help him up and lead him to the bathroom.

It didn't take long for them to get the shocked Omega unclothed and into the shower first, in order to wash away the blood that had started to cake onto his skin. Once he was cleaned of all of the red, Cas filled the tub and let Dean sink down into the water, which Cas had scented with soothing lavender oil that he found under the sink.

He didn't want to leave his mate alone for too long. The Omega seemed nearly catatonic, but there were things that needed to be done. While Dean soaked, Cas gathered his mates bloodied clothing and dumped them down the laundry chute. He then made his way back to the living room where the bloody remains of their neighbor lay, still leaking like a sieve, staining their floor.

Cas had an idea of what happened. Dean must have just... snapped. When it was all over he must have gone into shock, which caused him to block out the memory, even though it had _just_ happened. He'll likely have no recollection of what just occurred if and when he's questioned about it.

He's most likely gonna have to call it in. There was no way they could dispose of a body in this place. Especially not with so much surveillance in place. The only good thing about all of this would be that Dean would most likely get off scot-free due to his apparent memory loss. Hopefully.

Cas sighed heavily. He didn't expect things to so far sideways so quickly.

Well, there's nothing they could do about it. The only thing _to_ do would be to call it in.

The coffee table had been roughly shifted closer to the wall where the TV was mounted, which caused the remote to slide off and underneath the table. There was a smear of red on the on side of it. Careful to avoid getting it on his hands, which he had washed clean of their own smatterings of blood while helping Dean, he pressed the big red panic button three times in quick succession, just like Charlie instructed.

Security would arrive shortly.

He just hoped it wouldn't be the end of them.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Depictions of violence.
> 
> Mentions of past rape (and taunting the victim).
> 
> Don't read any further if you haven't read the chapter and don't wanna spoiled.
> 
> You have been warned.
> 
> You still reading?
> 
> Okay.
> 
> That you saw all of that up there, right?
> 
> That was a warning.
> 
> I seriously hadn't planned on killing him. It just sort of happened. I really think he deserved it though, and I really like that it was Dean who did it.
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter. Leave a comment to let me know what you thought. I love hearing from you guys!


	13. Chapter 13

“This could actually work,” Benny said as he watched Jody tip back her glass of bourbon, finishing it off.

“Of course it'll work,” Jody set her glass back down on the table. “We just need to act quickly. We don't have a whole lotta time before the-”

“Benny! Sir! Emergency!” Jody was cut off by a loud banging on the door and frantic pleas coming from the other side.

“What the hell...” Benny got up from his seat at the conference table and quickly made his way over to the locked door to see what the commotion was about. He unlocked the door and swung it wide, pining the cause of the disturbance with a withering glare. “Marco! What is it? I'm in the middle of a meeti-”

“Sir, I'm so sorry,” Marco, Benny's Omega assistant and secretary interrupted, “I know you're in a meeting with Councilmember Jody at the moment, but there's been an emergency. We need you right away, sir!” The young Asian man stood in the corridor outside the conference room, looking nervous and twitchy as he waited for the Beta to respond.

Benny groaned and took a deep breath to try and calm himself. Everything seemed to be an emergency these days but everything always had an easy fix.

Just a few days ago they'd run out of fabric for the infant clothes. Emergency! No, it turned out that there were just a few misplaced bolts of fabric in storage. Those were used until more could be made.

There was a power failure in grazing pasture B. Emergency! No, not an emergency. One of the electricians just needed to replace a fuse. The cows were fine for an hour in the dark in the meantime.

A child went missing a month ago. Usually, that _would_ be an emergency, but it turned out that the parents were just looking for her in the wrong daycare.

Nothing was _really_ an emergency.

“Marco...” Benny said with an exasperated sigh, “I'm sure whatever it is, it can wait a few-”

“No, but sir-”

“It can _wait a few moments_ , alright?” Benny cut off the small man, speaking loudly to get his point across. He was just getting ready to close the door in his assistant's face, but the young man suddenly moved in the way preventing his boss from closing it. Benny looked at him as if he'd grown an extra head. “Marco! What in the name of-”

“Sir!” Marco said firmly, refusing to budge. “We need you _now_! There's been _a_ _murder_!”

That got Benny's attention.

“A murder?” Jody had overheard the exchange between her colleague and his secretary and she moved closer. “Who was murdered?”

“An Alpha by the name of Alistair. An Omega killed him. Named...” he paused for a moment to think, “Dean, I think.”

“Dean?” Benny asked. He and Jody exchanged a look. That was the Omega they'd seen in the video. One of Benny's newest Omegas. And wasn't Alistair the name of the Alpha who was assigned to him in Phase Two?

Benny turned back to Marco. “Take me to 'em,” he demanded.

Marco nodded and took off down the corridor, Benny and Jody close behind him. The three of them navigated the twists and turns of the facility, cut across one of the grazing pastures and after a few minutes they were in the correct place.

They took the elevator up since it would be quicker than the stairs. While they were waiting to be carried to the proper floor, they took the time to catch their breath from the mad dash across the facility.

When they reached the right floor, Benny and Jody followed Marco to the correct unit, although his guidance was no longer necessary. There were security and nosy lookie-loos scattered about the hall, most of them concentrated around a single doorway. It didn't take a detective to determine that that must have been where it all happened.

“Okay, everyone!” Benny said once he and his tiny entourage had arrived on the scene. He raised his arms to get everyone's attention and he had to shout to be heard over the ruckus and he didn't continue until everyone was looking his way. “I need yall to get back to your homes and go about your business. I know this is new and possibly exciting, but we can't do our jobs with everyone here.”

It took a moment for everyone to process what was being asked of them, but once they got the hint there was a collective groan as everyone who wasn't supposed to be there gradually began to disperse. After a few minutes, there were only five Omegas left in the hall, none of whom seemed willing to budge.

“Okay, guys. I need yall to get going now, alright?” Benny gently admonished them. Each of them were in various stages of pregnancy so he didn't want to be too harsh with them and possibly cause them undue stress.

“We're not going anywhere until we see some sort of retribution!” This was said by a tall, blond Omega with a pointy face and a perpetual scowl as if she were tasting something sour. “What's going to happen to our mate's murderers?” she demanded to know.

Benny suppressed a groan. Of _course_ , the dead Alpha's mates would be here to witness this. Why could nothing be simple? “Of course,” he said in a placating manner. He really didn't have time for this. “I understand that you're upset... um,” he frowned as he pulled up a blank while trying to supply a name to go with the Omega's face.

“Lilith,” she supplied, though with no small amount of impatience.

“Lilith! Of course,” he said with relief once the name was provided, grateful he didn't have to flounder while thinking of one. Now that he knew one of their names, the names of the rest of Alistair's mates came to mind as well. He looked past Lilith at the other assembled Omegas. “So you all must be Bela, Meg, Ruby and Adam, correct?” He said, addressing each of them in turn.

They each nodded at the Beta. Lilith and Ruby crossed their arms in impatience and indignation; Adam looked nervous and ready to bolt; Bela looked as if she wanted to throttle Lilith; and Meg seemed purely bored with the whole affair, leaning against a wall and apparently chewing a piece of gum. Where the hell did she get gum?

Benny mentally shook himself and refocused his attention on the irate Omega in from of him. “Look, I'm real sorry about what happened to your mate, but I still need ya to go back to your home, alright? I still need to examine the scene and talk with the witnesses – if there are any – and I won't know what to do about any of this until then. I know how impatient you must be, how angry you are, but I'm gonna have to ask ya to be patient with me. Can ya do that?”

“Patient? You want me to be _patient_?” Lilith scowled at the Beta before her, signals of anger and distress pouring off of her in waves so strong that even Benny's Beta nose could detect them. “Those assholes killed my mate and you want me to be _patient_?!! What the hell do you-”

“Oh, cram it, Lilith, will ya!” Meg pushed herself off of the wall where she'd been leisurely watching the scene before her. “The man said he'd get to us when he gets to us, alright. Just put a sock in it and let's go.” She jutted her head behind her in the direction of their own apartment.

“Oh, shut it, Meg. Who asked you to be here anyway?” Ruby turned and nearly spit venom at her nonchalant bond-mate.

“We all have an equal right to be here, Ruby. He was mated to all of us,” Bela defended Meg.

“You three didn't even _like_ him!” Lilith pointed an accusatory finger at Meg, Adam and Bela.

“No, we didn't like him!” Adam finally spoke up. “He was an abusive and manipulative ass and nobody who matters is even gonna miss him, so can we just _go_ now?”

“ _I'll_ miss him! _Ruby_ will miss him, what you _mean_ -”

“I think he's saying,” Meg interrupted with a smirk, “that _you two_ don't matter.” The Omega giggled, actually _giggled_ , she tossed an approving wink towards Adam then walked away, seemingly without a care in the world, ebony waves shining darkly in the overhead lights.

Bela grinned right in Lilith's scowling face, which had turned beet red in anger, then turned and followed Meg down the hall, with Adam right on her heels.

Lilith was nearly shaking with anger as she turned back to Benny, scowling at him, expecting him to _do_ something, anything. Ruby looked equally as pissed off, neither of them spoke and both of them expected vengeance for the death of their beloved mate.

Benny had fallen silent during the exchange between the group of bond-mates. He was working on a migraine at that moment from their arguing. His eyes were closed and he had one hand braced on his hip and the other he had up to his face, his thumb and forefinger pinching the bridge of his nose to relieve some of the pressure. They definitely had the most dysfunctional family dynamic he'd ever seen.

Without even looking up, Benny knew that the two irate Omegas were still scowling at him. He'd had enough of their shenanigans and just wanted them to go away. They were working _themselves_ up at this point, so anything he said or did wouldn't matter much in the long run. “Look,” he said to them, still not looking up,” I need you two to clear the area. So you can either do that yourselves, or I can have security _assist_ you.”

He finally looked up to meet the eyes of the two Omegas in front of him. They wore twin expressions of shock and disgust at being spoken to in such a manner. Nevertheless, they did as they were told and vacated the area, following their bond-mates down the hall, muttering something to themselves about indignities and retribution.

Once they were gone, Benny huffed in exasperation. He turned around, ready to finally do his job. “Jody, can you, uh...” he trailed off when he didn't see Jody where he had left her next to Marco. The Omega secretary was still there, standing next to an assemblage of security – who hadn't been doing _their_ jobs, by the way (at least not very well) – but the other Beta was nowhere in sight.

“Where'd Jody go?” He asked. Marco the five security guards who had been assembled all simultaneously pointed in the direction of the open apartment door. The identical looks of minor fear and confusion on their faces would have been comical if it weren't for the dire nature of the circumstances.

Frowning, Benny took a few steps forward and looked in the doorway. He could see Jody talking with Dean and Castiel in their living room. They each stood to the right of the crime scene where the couch blocked their view of the red, stained sheet that covered the bloody lumps formerly known as Alistair.

“You let her go in?” He turned to the security personnel in disbelief. As the Administrator in charge of this facility, when something like this happened it was him who should have been the first to talk to the victims, witnesses or criminals as the case may be.

The group stuttered out excuses, all of them saying something along the lines of “Have _you_ tried stopping Councilman Jody?” or “ _I'm_ not tryna get throttled!”

Benny sighed again, shaking his head. Yeah, he understood exactly how formidable Councilman Jody could be. “Alright, alright,” he waved them off to silence their defenses, “you guys just stay here until I need you, go it?” When all of them answered in the affirmative, he took a deep breath to steel himself, then stepped into the apartment, into the scene of the crime.

 

~*~*~*~

 

It didn't take long for security to arrive. They came banging on the door but didn't wait long enough for Castiel to answer it. They charged into the apartment, batons drawn, looking for a fight. What they got instead was a bloody corpse and a startled Alpha in the middle of the living room.

Cas was upset by the intrusion at first, but he quickly schooled his features and greeted the new-comers.

“What happened here?” One of the guards demanded, an Alpha female who looked like she had seen better days, her face scarred and skin worn.

A couple of the other guards moved over to the body to examine it. Alistair's face was beyond recognition and there was a large pool of blood staining the floor beneath it. There was no doubt he was dead.

“Silas, call this in to the Administrator, and somebody get that body covered up until the medical examinator can get to it.” Silas moved off to do as he was told and another of the guards went to find a sheet to cover the body. A sheet was found in the linen closet in the hallway of the apartment, and it was immediately draped over the body. Once that was done, the leader looked back at Cas, eyebrows raised expectantly, and said, “Well?”

“He, uh...” Cas began, stammering over his excuse. “We invited him over, to talk. He seemed interested in getting to know us when we first moved in. But then he... he attacked my mate. So I defended him and he... well-” Cas finished his explanation there, gesturing in the direction of the bloody mess that used to be Al.

A few of the guards exchanged meaningful looks, obviously not believing the story the Alpha was telling them. “Uh-huh,” one of them said, the same female from before, “and where's your mate?”

Cas was ready for this one. “He was upset after what happened, so I drew him a bath to relax. He's still in the bathroom now.”

“Yeah, well, we're gonna need to speak with him.”

Cas became tense when he heard that. He was expecting it, but the thought of them speaking with his mate, while the Omega was in such a fragile state of mind, caused Cas's protective tendencies to manifest themselves in the form of aggression. He scowled at the other Alphas in front of him as a low growl rose up from his chest and the singed scent of anger seeped up from his pores.

The guards reacted to Cas's act of defiance with a show of aggression of their own. They each growled back at him and bared their teeth as they surrounded the lone Alpha. The situation was getting ready to escalate even further, one of the other Alphas was just about to raise his baton and smack down the defiant man in front of him, but they were all stopped by a startled gasp and a stifled scream from the still-opened doorway.

Two of their other neighbors, whom Cas and Dean still had not met, were standing in the hallway looking in at the bloody scene before them. “What happened?” one of them asked. It was another Alpha female with her Omega mate behind her, staring wide-eyed with a hand covering her face. She must have been the one who screamed.

The lead Alpha guard, the female with the scars, said, “Go about your business, please. There's nothing to see here.”

“Uh, no. I think there's plenty to see,” the Alpha in the doorway said, looking around with wide eyes to prove her point. “Who's the pile o' hamburger?” She pointed at Al's corpse.

“Leave!” the lead Alpha demanded, voice loud and firm. “Now!”

The Omega scurried away from the scene, dragging her reluctant mate along with her.

“Ugh,” the lead Alpha groaned, speaking to no one in particular, “they're gonna draw a crowd.” She took a deep breath and turned back to face the others in the room.

The lead guard took a step back from Cas to give him a bit of breathing room. She had stepped right up into his face during the confrontation. However, the prospect of having an audience seemed to have sobered her and her comrades. They followed her example and, one by one, they all took a few steps away from Castiel.

Cas was still exuding protective and angry pheromones, however, and would not back down so easily.

Sensing his hostility, the lead Alpha said, “Look, I get you're trying to protect your mate, but you're an awful liar, alright. You don't have enough blood on you to have made _that_ mess,” she pointed towards the Pile Formerly Known as Alistair, “and you stuttered _way_ too much while telling your tale. So why don't you try again, hm?”

Cas's jaw clenched and he swallowed hard, but he didn't say anything to confirm or deny her assessment.

The lead Alpha sighed and started to move past Cas, presumably to go in search of his mate. Cas quickly stepped in her path, then hastily raised his hands to show he meant no harm when batons were raised once again.

“He doesn't remember anything,” Cas told them. “He-” he sighed and dropped his hands back down at his sides, heaving a defeated sigh. “He blocked it out. He doesn't remember what happened.” Cas's shoulders drooped and he dropped his head down to look at the floor. After a moment he quietly added, “And I don't want him to.”

“I- uh... I remember, though.”

Everyone swung around to face the new speaker. Dean had heard the commotion from the tub, so he decided to investigate. He had gotten out of the water, dried off and dressed in a clean uniform, then he came up the hall where he'd heard the tail end of their conversation. The Omega looked shy and unsure of himself as if he wanted to run and hide from all of the strangers in his home. Or maybe he was ashamed of what he'd done.

“ _What_ do you remember, exactly?” the lead Alpha asked.

“Dean, don't!” Cas barked out, unwittingly using the Voice on his mate, and Dean immediately clammed up, his eyes shooting daggers at Cas in retaliation.

Dean growled in frustration and tried to speak anyway. “I... r-remember!” the Omega gritted out slowly as he fought his Alpha's Voice.

“Dean, please, you don't have to-”

“Let him speak!” the lead Alpha commanded.

“But...” Cas said, unsure of what to do. “Dean...” he looked over to his mate, pleading with his eyes for the Omega to understand.

Cas just wanted to protect his mate from whatever was about to happen, but when he looked into Dean's eyes, all he saw was anger and... betrayal? No, he didn't want that. He wanted to protect his mate, but not at the cost of pushing him away. Cas heaved a heavy sigh, shoulders slumping once more in defeat, but he gave Dean a small, almost imperceptible nod, and the spell was broken.

“Okay,” the lead Alpha said, relieved, as she stepped closer to the Omega, “why don't you tell me what happened, hm? What do you remember?”

“Holy crap, there really _is_ a dead body in here!”

Dean was prevented from saying anything further by another voice that had cut into the tension in the apartment. Everyone snapped their attention back to the still-opened doorway where another Alpha was looking in on the carnage.

“See, told ya, dude! Hamburger!” The same Alpha from before had apparently brought a friend.

“Didn't I tell you to get the hell outta here!” the lead Alpha barked at the two intruding Alphas. She then turned to a couple of her comrades and said, “Silas, Philip, get those two outta here, now!”

Two of the other Alphas broke away from the group in the living room and did as their commander told them. The two in the doorway scattered when they saw the burly guardsmen coming at them. Silas and Phil shrugged their shoulders at the easy job and were about to head back, but the two lookie-loos who left were quickly replaced by three more, then five. Before they knew it, they were overrun by nosy neighbors who just wouldn't get the hint.

“Why didn't you guys just close the door?” Dean asked, quite sensibly.

The lead Alpha heaved a world-weary sigh. “'Cuz we're not allowed to close the door when we occupy a private residence,” she answered, as if reading from a handbook. “It's a stupid fucking rule, but...” She trailed off with a shrug, not bothering to finish her sentence. She then turned to the mated pair in front of her, pointing a warning finger at the two of them. “Wait here,” she said firmly. When the two of them nodded she took the rest of her crew and headed out into the hall to try and get a handle on the gathering crowd.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Cas quickly made his way over to his mate, concern etched into every line of his face as he placed his hands on the Omega's shoulders. “Dean. Are you okay? What happened? How much do you remember?”

“I'm fine, Cas,” Dean answered shortly as he shrugged out of Cas's grasp.

Cas frowned and seemed hurt by the rejection. “Dean, what's wrong?”

“You wanna know what's wrong, Cas?” Dean demanded, getting into the Alpha's face. “You using that fucking Voice is what's wrong!” He poked the other man roughly in the chest to punctuate the point.

“What voice, Dean?” Cas asked, brow knit in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“That Voice, Cas! Capital V. Alphas use it to keep their Omegas in line. Alistair used it on Meg and his other Omegas, and you've been using it on me since the ultrasound!”

Cas was taken aback. He had no idea he'd been exuding so much control over his mate. He'd never intended to do such a thing. “Dean,” he began, “I had no idea. I- I don't know anything about that. I'm so sorry.” He reached for his mate again, hoping not to be rejected once more.

Dean softened up, but only a little. He didn't _think_ Cas would take away his freewill on purpose, but he wasn't sure. It was a relief knowing that it wasn't intentional, but he was still pissed that it'd happened at all. Stupid biology!

When Dean didn't immediately move away from his touch, Cas took that as permission to wrap his Omega in his arms, so he did just that. He held his mate close as he felt him gradually melt into the embrace. After a few moments, Dean brought his arms up to wrap them around Cas's back, drawing him even closer as he buried his face into Cas's neck, scenting him and using his comforting aroma to calm his nerves.

“AL! NO!”

The pair jumped apart as they heard a heart-wrenching screech coming from the doorway. It was a tall blond with a pointy face and fire in her eyes. “I'll murder you, you bastards!” She charged at the pair but was quickly apprehended by a couple of the guards who dragged her back out into the hall.

“Who the hell was that?” Dean asked.

“It might have been one of Alistair's mates,” Cas supplied. He turned around to face Dean once more. He had moved in front of Dean to protect his mate from the threat of a grieving widow, but now that the threat had been removed he relaxed once more.

Dean groaned. “Right. His mates. I'm sure some of them are gonna be pissed about this. Not Meg though,” he added after a moment of thought. “Meg'll probably leave a fruit basket or something. She hated the guy.”

That made Cas chuckle and he drew his mate back into his arms once again, stoking the Omega's back soothingly. Dean smiled and once again melted into his mate's embrace.

They stayed like that for a while longer, until they heard arguing outside of the door and what sounded like Benny's voice as well. They had only spoken to their Beta leader once, but that bayou drawl would have been recognizable anywhere.

The two of them broke apart to look towards the door. They couldn't see much, other than security personnel, so they assumed that the lookie-loos had been given the boot, but they still heard voices. Not long after, they saw a petite Beta female approach the door. She made eye contact with them but was stopped by one of the guards. The woman said a few harsh words to the assembled personnel, and they backed off immediately to give her room. The sight was practically comical.

“I think I like her already,” Dean commented.

“Me too,” Cas said, stifling a chuckle.

“Hello,” she said once she'd reached them. “My name is Jody. I'm one of the six Council members. I was here visiting Benny when we heard about your predicament.”

Dean's and Cas's faces lit up in surprise. They'd expected Benny to show up, but not _another_ member of the Council. If two Council members were in on this, would their punishment be even more severe?

Dean was the first to recover from the surprise. “Oh, um, I'm Dean and this is my mate, Cas,” he made the introductions, pointing first to himself, then to his mate.

“It's nice to meet you both.” Jody inclined her head at them, smiling politely. “So... do you wanna tell me what happened here?”

Dean took a deep breath and turned to Cas, looking to him for comfort and support. The Alpha reached over and squeezed his hand, lending strength and solidarity. Whatever happened, Cas would be right there with him.

“I was in the tub, just relaxing, when it all just... came back to me.”

He started off by explaining how his conversation with Meg seemed to knock a few memories loose; then he told her about his nervous breakdown he'd had when Cas found him. Then about the need to just get out and _do_ something, which led to running into Alistair in the hall. Just when he was about to get to the part where Alistair basically admitted to raping him, he was interrupted by Benny's arrival.

“Heya, guys. What's goin' on here?” He looked at Jody accusingly, but the female Beta paid him no mind.

Benny seemed to have had his hands full with the dead Alpha's mates, so Jody decided to take the initiative. This was the first murder in the very short history of their new society, and it seemed more important than infighting between incompatible bond-mates. She wasn't sorry. Not one bit.

“Dean was just telling me about how all of this happened. Basically,” she summarized, “he had a few flashbacks from Phase Two which were then corroborated by the now-deceased Alpha behind us. There. Now you're all caught up.” She gestured to the Omega and said, “Please continue, Dean.”

It took him a moment for his brain to catch up. Dean and Cas were both slightly flabbergasted that the Council members would basically just admit to there being an Omega portion of Phase Two. Dean had to recover mighty quickly, though, because he had a story to complete.

He finished off with telling them about how Alistair basically admitted to raping him, Cas losing his temper, Dean pulling him off of the vile pervert. Finally, he completed his recounting with Al saying all of those disgusting things. Seeing nothing but red. Just... red. Everywhere.

Dean swallowed thickly. He took a few deep breaths to get his breathing back under control since he started panting just a bit while he relived the events of the past few hours. Cas squeezed his hand, grounding him and reminding him that he as still there. Dean squeezed back in acknowledgment and gratitude, then looked back up at the two Council members to await their judgment.

Benny and Jody looked at each other, their gazes full of meaning. After a few moments, Benny said, “Would you guys give us a moment? There's some things we need to discuss.”

“Uh, yes. Of course,” Cas said. He turned around and led Dean back to their bedroom to wait for the Councilmen to call them again. They sat on the bed with their backs resting against the headboard and Dean rested his head on Cas's shoulder.

After a few minutes of silence, Dean said, “What do you think they're gonna say?”

“I don't know, Dean,” Cas answered with a sigh. When he scented his mate's distress he said, “But I'm sure the penalty can't be too harsh. Al was a monster and he got what he deserved. And the way he handled the situation obviously caused you great distress mentally, and possibly physically as well. The way he stressed you out could have been damaging to the pups. With how seriously they take child care and development around here, I'm pretty sure they'll take that into account.”

“I hope you're right.” Dean snuggled further into Cas's side as they fell into silence once more, awaiting the judgment from the Councilmen.

 

~*~*~*~

 

“So what do you think?” Jody asked Benny once the pair were out of earshot. She spoke quietly, seeing as there was still a chance of being heard by others.

“Officially, I think Dean needs to punished for murderin' a community member,” Benny answered just as quietly.

“And unofficially?”

“Unofficially I think the bastard got what was comin' to 'im.”

Jody chuckled then became more serious as she said, “Yeah. We both saw that video. I mean, I get it was his job to test Omegas' bonds, but he went about all wrong. _Completely_ wrong!”

“And it's not uncommon,” Benny said, nodding in agreement, “which is why we've gotta get rid of those other Council members so crap like that don't happen again.”

“Agreed. So, what do you want to do about _this_ whole mess, right now?”

Benny sighed. “Well, he _needs_ to be punished. But... I don't think anything too severe is necessary. He _is_ pregnant, after all; and he _was_ provoked. By his _rapist_!”

Jody nodded, seeming to know where Benny was going with his train of thought. “The guy's mates aren't gonna be happy about it.”

Benny scoffed. “Yeah, well, only those _two._ Ruby and Lilith. The others didn't seem to care all that much.”

“That right there says a whole lot about the kind of person he was, doesn't it?”

“Definitely.”

“What about his memories?” Jody asked. “Do you think we should we erase them again?”

“No,” Benny answered firmly. “I think the poor guy's been through enough, don't you?”

“Oh yeah,” Jody nodded. “I agree. I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page.”

“Alright then,” Benny said as he clapped his hands in front of himself, “let's bring them back in here.”

 


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOLY HELL HAS IT BEEN OVER A /MONTH/ ALREADY? JEEZE! SHAME ON ME!! 
> 
> I'm SO sorry about this guys. I just hope this chapter was worth the wait. Let me know what you guys think in the comments below. *fingers crossed* And this chapter was actually so long I decided to break it up into two chapters. Seriously, it was over 11,000 words, and I usually only do between 4,000 and 6,000 words. So yeah, had to break that up.
> 
> Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy. Happy reading! ;)

“Dean, Castiel, could you join us back out here, please?” Jody said as she poked her head through the couple's bedroom door.

Dean lifted his head from Cas's shoulder where he had been resting it and they both looked over towards Jody who was staring at them expectantly, eyebrows raised in silent command.

“Uh, yeah,” Dean stammered.

“Of course,” Cas answered.

The two of them disentangled themselves from each other and got off of the bed. Satisfied, Jody made her way back down the hall with the couple close behind her. Benny was right where they'd left him in the living room, though Alistair's body had been removed while they were gone, and an attempt at cleaning the mess he'd made had been started, but there was still a ways to go.

“So, what's going to happen now?” Cas asked once they had all reconvened. Jody and Benny stood side-by-side facing Dean and Cas who stood together, hands interlocked at their sides. Cas gave Dean's hand a reassuring squeeze which did wonders for comforting the nervous Omega. Cas was concerned for his mate, although he was certain that the Council members wouldn't be too harsh on him. Alistair was a monster after all and Cas knew this place would be better off without him.

Dean's feet had been shuffling nervously as he stood in front of the two Beta leaders. He knew that he'd receive a punishment of _some sort_ for what he'd done to Alistair and he was worried about what kind of severity he'd be in for. He was pretty sure murder was a serious offense no matter what kind of society they were now a part of. But as nervous as he was, the comfort that Cas provided him grounded him and made it possible for the Omega to stand there and accept whatever judgment would come his way.

“What's gonna happen,” Benny began, “is that you, Dean, _will_ have to be punished for what you've done here,” the Beta answered as he jerked a thumb behind himself at the mess of blood that was still staining their floor and furniture.

Dean nodded and took a deep breath, his shoulders rising as his chest heaved with the intake of oxygen. “Alright,” he began, “so what kind of punishment am I lookin' at here?”

“Well,” Jody answered, “you _did_ commit murder. A rather bloody and violent crime in this case,” she very pointedly glanced over to the stains then back at the couple. “And he was an Alpha. We need all the Alphas and Omegas we can get to produce more offspring and repopulate.”

“Right,” Dean nodded as he set his jaw, his head dropped and his heart rate ratcheted up a few notches.

“Wait!” Cas said, coming to Dean's defense. “What about what Alistair did to-”

“Don't interrupt,” Jody ordered, though not unkindly, as she ironically interrupted in the process.

“Now, we _have_ taken Alistair's actions into account,” Benny said as he finally spoke up. “He was very... cruel to you during the second Phase, to put it lightly.” The Beta tried to say it as kindly as he could.

“ _Cruel_?” Cas said incredulously. “That's putting it a bit _too_ lightly if you ask me,” Cas said, his voice deepening and a low rumble bubbling up from his chest threateningly. “Why did Dean even have to go through that in the first place? It makes no sense!”

“It's okay, Cas,” Dean said, trying to placate his mate before things escalated.

“No! It's not okay, Dean. They never should've put you in that position, to begin with. It was an absolute horror show!”

“Your mate's right, Dean. It most definitely was _not_ okay.” Dean and Cas both turned to look at Jody when she spoke.

“I agree,” Benny said, “and you're right. Not only was Alistair was one of _the worst_ Alphas we've _ever_ had in any of these facilities – ever! – but you, Dean, were put in a horrid situation and it should never have happened!” Benny admitted vehemently, a dead serious look on his face. Jody nodded in agreement next to him.

“Okay,” Dean said in acknowledgment of their confession, “so... why? Why did I have to – you know...?” He trailed off, not wanting to fully give voice to it. He shifted uncomfortably where he stood and waited for the Betas to continue.

Benny and Jody glanced at each other, a world of meaning seemed to pass between them in that look alone. After a moment they seemed to agree on something, so Benny took a breath and said, “The Omega portion of Phase two is somethin' that we've been tryna to get rid of for some time now. But the other members of the Council have been... less than cooperative.”

“We have a plan, though,” Jody added. “Hopefully we can get that portion of Phasing eradicated for good.”

“What is your plan?” Cas asked.

“That's something we can't discuss with you, hun. I'm sorry,” Jody answered.

“And we'd like you to keep this between us, please,” Benny added, giving the couple a stern look. “We're doin' everything we can, but it would move a lot smoother if we could keep a lid on all of this. Got it? Don't tell a soul.”

Dean and Cas exchanged a look before they each nodded and Dean said, “Yeah. Alright.”

“So, what does all of this mean for Dean?” Cas asked

Dean removed his hand from Cas's and folded his arms in front of himself. Cas wrapped an arm around his mate's back and rested his empty hand on the Omega's hip.

“Well, in light of all the evidence...” Jody began as she and Benny spoke together, one at a time.

“You _did_ kill the man...” Benny continued.

“However, he did provoke you- _greatly._..”

“And he was completely certifiable...”

“And you are a pregnant Omega, with _five_ pups on the way...”

“So... what are you guys saying?” Dean asked impatiently

“We decided that you'll only need to complete 20 hours of community service,” Benny finally delivered the news.

Cas's eyebrows shot up to his hairline and he openly gaped at the two Betas in shock and disbelief. The way that they'd been talking, it sounded like Dean was going to be punished much harsher than that.

“Really? That's it?” Dean seemed even more shocked than Cas. Surely murder would lend much more severe repercussions than a mere 20 hours of community service. Right?

“Yes, that's all,” Jody answered with a kind smile.

“And we're not gonna erase your memory again, either. We both feel like you've been through enough, brutha,” Benny said.

“Uh, thank you!” Cas stammered out his appreciation. He let go of Dean and stepped forward to give the Beta male a hearty handshake and a squeeze on the shoulder.

“Yeah, seriously!” Dean vehemently agreed. He waited his turn to shake Benny's hand as well and then gave Jody a crushing hug for good measure.

“Oof!” Jody grunted as she was smooshed into the grateful Omega's tight embrace. She spoke in near-strangled words. “You're... very... welcome... sweetheart.” She returned the hug and gave him a pat on the back right before he stepped away from her.

“Seriously! Thank you, guys!” Dean said again.

“You're welcome,” Benny said, “and we'll get someone in here to finish cleaning up that mess.”

“Yeah, that'd be great,” Dean replied with a grimace as he once again took in the sight of red, smeared and splattered in seemingly-random patterns.

“Well, the two of us are gonna get goin' now,” Benny stated. “We were in the middle of a meeting when all of this happened.”

“Oh, yes,” Cas said, “we understand. Please, don't let us keep you.”

Benny nodded then said, “I'll be back tomorrow, Dean. The two of us'll have to go over the particulars of your community service and I'll need to enter your new status into the system so a schedule can be made for ya.”

Dean and Cas thanked the Betas once again before the two leaders excused themselves to handle other business. The security guards took their leave as well and their front door was finally closed, leaving the couple with their privacy once more.

There was silence for a few moments. Neither of them completely sure of what to say or do next. There would be no sitting in the living room until it was cleaned and they were both too drained to actually go out and _do_ something like they had originally planned before the whole mess began.

Since they didn't really feel up to doing anything anyways, they decided it would be best to just lie down and get some rest before anything _else_ happened to them that day.

Once they were back inside their bedroom, the two of them undressed and climbed beneath the covers. Dean rolled into Cas's arms and the Alpha embraced his mate as the Omega let out a deep and contented sigh. He snuggled into Cas's neck, scenting him deeply and taking comfort from his mate.

Cas pressed a few gentle kisses to the top of Dean's head and rubbed soothing circles into his back. He chuckled a bit when Dean rubbed a hand over the Alpha's exposed abdomen, inadvertently tickling him a bit.

Dean looked up and smiled at his mate. Unable to resist, the Alpha pressed a chaste kiss to the Omega's lips. Dean returned the gesture and the two of them pulled away, smiling lovingly at each other. Dean leaned up and pressed another kiss to Cas's lips, this one less chaste, more heated.

Cas moaned into Dean's mouth and deepened the kiss further. He opened his mouth slightly and probed at the Omega's lips, requesting entrance. Dean parted them, accepting his mate's probing tongue gratefully. He moaned back into Cas mouth in response and the two of them lost all pretense and began grabbing and pulling at each other in desperation.

Dean ran a hand up Cas's arm, onto his neck, and into his hair. He carded his fingers through the Alpha's raven locks before clutching a fistful and holding on tight. Cas firmly pressed a hand into Dean's back, drawing the man even closer and his other hand roamed down his mate's body and clamped down on his still-clothed buttocks.

The Alpha growled in frustration from being impeded by the bothersome article and began pulling at it impatiently. Dean took the hint and rolled over onto his back so that he could more easily raise his hips to help with the removal of his final article of clothing. Cas grumbled slightly as his Omega seemed to be getting away from him, but nonetheless, the clothing was quickly discarded.

Cas worked fast to shuck his own underwear as well and they were both thrown to unknown corners of the room to be collected later. Once the two of them were free of their confines, the Alpha immediately surged forward and covered his mate's body with his own as he settled between Dean's opened legs. The scent of their arousal filled the room causing a heady sensation as they joined together once more in a tangle of limbs, lips and breathy moans.

Cas reached down between them, bypassing Dean's hard and aching dick and went straight for the man's leaking and twitching hole. Never removing his lips from his Omega's, Cas circled his middle finger around the tight and increasingly wet ring of muscle a few times before delving in all the way to the bottom knuckle.

Dean whimpered and his hips bucked up trying to get more sensation. Cas held him down as he began stroking his finger in and out of the tight, wet entrance. Once he was satisfied that his mate had adjusted to the single digit, the Alpha withdrew almost completely before he added another finger, stretching the soaking hole even further. He alternated scissoring his fingers apart and thrusting into him.

Dean moaned and bucked his hips once more when Cas's probing digits hit his prostate and pressed into the sensitive bundle of nerves remorsefully. The Omega tried to beg, in-between kisses with moans of “please Cas” and “need more”, but the Alpha astutely ignored his pleas and continued his ministrations. 

Cas's dick was hanging hard and neglected between their stomachs, leaking precum onto his mate, marking him with his scent. The Alpha growled possessively as he added another finger to his mate's sopping wet hole. His index finger aided in the task, stretching Dean even further, preparing the man for Cas's huge Alpha cock.

Once Cas was finally satisfied, he grabbed his aching cock and lined it up with Dean's prepped and flowing hole before slowly pressing in with one long, slow stroke. Dean groaned loudly as he was filled up so beautifully with his mate's monster cock. Cas didn't stop until he was fully seated inside and he finally let out a low groan of his own.

He paused for a moment, lazily kissing his mate while the Omega adjusted. After a few moments, Dean let out a frustrated growl and shifted his hips in impatience as he wordlessly urged the Alpha to just _move_ already. Cas didn't need to be told twice. He withdrew from Dean's drenched hole almost completely before roughly shoving back in all the way, pinging Dean's prostate as he did so.

Dean gasped and tossed his head back, exposing his neck, and Cas took full advantage of the exposure, immediately burying his face in the crook of the Omega's throat. He deeply scented him there before clamping down on the tender flesh with his teeth, then setting up a brutal pace as he fucked into his mate's body.

“Oh, fuck, Cas!” Dean yelled as the Alpha pounded into him with abandon. All the Omega could do was hold on as the other man fucked him into the mattress. His ass stretched wonderfully around the Alpha's girth as it dragged out and pounded in over and over. He reached down and grabbed a handful of Cas's ass, feeling it clench and unclench as Cas into fucked him.

Cas was licking and sucking bruises into Dean's flesh, further marking him as his own. He moaned into the Omega's neck as he felt his knot already forming. It caught onto the rim of Dean's hole every time he thrust in or pulled out. His mate was making the most beautiful noises as he writhed in pleasure beneath him. The Alpha's hand's roamed over Dean's body, tweaking a nipple, squeezing a thigh or just holding him close, all the while doing his best to ram into the Omega's prostate with every thrust, eliciting even more wonderful sounds from him.

“Cum for me, Dean. You can do it. Come on, sweetheart,” Cas said through heavy breaths, whispering his encouragement into Dean's ear with his lust-husky voice.

Just like that Dean was cumming hard, untouched. He shouted and his body seized up as he squirted rope after rope of cum onto their chests and stomachs. His mouth opened in a wide O as his hips once again began thrusting up, meeting his mates pounding cock. Once his own cock stopped spurting, he lied boneless on the bed as Cas chased his own orgasm.

The scent of his mate's arousal and release spurred the Alpha on, causing him to fuck into him even harder and faster. It didn't take much longer for his knot to fully form, catching on the rim of muscles in Dean's ass and releasing his spend deep into his Omega's fucked out hole. He groaned out his release, long and low, then sagged onto Dean's limp body below him.

Dean grunted at the extra weight and shifted uncomfortably. Cas apologized and lifted up again, rolling and bringing Dean with him so that they were both lying on their sides. Once they were comfortable, they waited, sated and content, in each other's embrace for Cas's swollen knot to shrink enough to release them.

“I love you, Cas,” Dean mumbled against his mate's neck.

Cas smiled against Dean's hair and pulled him tighter against his chest. “I love you too, Dean,” he whispered back.

Dean smiled, though Cas couldn't see it, and snuggled further into his Alpha before closing his eyes and drifting into a contented rest.

 

~*~*~*~

 

“Well, that was an ordeal,” Jody commented as she sank back down in her chair once they were safely back in Conference Room A.

“Yeah,” Benny agreed, “haven't had one o' _those_ before. I'm just happy it was so simple to handle.”

“How do you think that Alpha's mates are going to handle the judgment?”

“Oh, they're gonna be pissed, no doubt about it. Well,” he amended, “those two grouchy ones, anyway. The other three don't seem like they're gonna be too phased.”

“Hm,” is all Jody said in response. She leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs, folding her arms over each other as she looked up at the other Beta who had remained standing. After a moment's pause she said, “Well, we should really get back to work. What were you saying earlier? About a way to-”

“Oh yeah!” Benny said excitedly. “Follow me, you're really gonna love this!” He crossed the conference room in just a few big strides until he reached the bar. He used one hand to vault over it, instead of walking around, in his excitement and landed on his feet on the other side. He turned around and frowned when he noticed that Jody hadn't followed him. “C'mon, c'mon!” he said as he beckoned her forward. Benny shifted his weight from one foot to the other impatiently.

Jody calmly followed him, suppressing an amused grin as she did so. She took her time walking around the bar, unlike Benny and stopped in front of the overgrown child her colleague and friend had suddenly become. When she noticed the impatient expression on his face and the buzz of energy practically radiating off of him, she could no longer suppress her grin.

“Okay, so what's so important over here?” She asked indulgently.

Benny gave a brilliant smile that far out-shined Jody's. Without saying a word, he reached beneath the bar and pressed his finger into a hidden scanner. A small beep sounded and the once-shining and unmarked surface fractured as a panel of the wood slid to one side, causing a numbered touchpad to rise up from the opening. Benny quickly entered a sequence of numbers into the pad, then waited as it sunk back into the bar and was covered and concealed once more, the seams disappearing altogether as if they never existed.

They waited a moment, but nothing happened. “Okay. So... what now?” Jody asked.

Before Benny could tell her to just give it a moment, a low rumbling could be felt beneath their feet. Benny took a step away from the wall of booze and assorted snacks just as a fissure opened up. The mirror and shelving behind the bar parted as a thin, vertical line quickly widened and opened up to reveal a cement staircase and cinder block walls leading down. When the passageway was fully opened, the ceiling lit up and illuminated the darkness within.

“What is this?” Jody asked in awe.

“Oh, this is just a lil something I've had in the works for a while now,” Benny answered, feigning nonchalance, as he leaned one arm against the opening to better take in Jody's astonishment.

Jody stepped forward and leaned her head into the entryway as she peered down the length of it, but the staircase disappeared around a bend, preventing her from seeing all the way to the end. “Where does it go?” She asked.

“A little... endeavor – or project – that I had completed a few years ago. I think it'll be perfect for what we've gotta do, darlin'.”

“You did this yourself?” Jody asked dubiously.

Benny laughed, “No, no. I commissioned it from some folks in the construction and maintenance crews.”

“So...” Jody said slowly, turning fully to look at the other Beta, “other people know about this?”

“Uh, well...” Benny shifted uncomfortably before he answered, “I actually had their memories erased of any knowledge pertaining to this project. The only other person I'd told about his place was Gabriel, and well...” He trailed off, leaving the rest unsaid.

“Ah,” Jody responded, nodding in understanding. “Well, it was for the best – the memory erasure, I mean. It wouldn't do for anyone else to know about this.”

“Yeah, that was my thinkin' too.” There was a moment's pause, then Benny said, “So when ya wanna get started?”

Jody peered down the entryway once more, then she looked back at the man and said, “Tomorrow. A lot has already happened today. We should get some rest and come back at this fresh and alert.”

“Yeah. That sounds like a good idea,” Benny admitted. His shoulders drooped slightly, but he still beamed at his colleague.

“Alright then. Tomorrow,” Jody responded with finality, giving a curt nod.

Benny reached into the entryway and pressed a large, red button, then quickly withdrew his hand as the passage was closed and sealed away once more.

 

~*~*~*~

 

“Mmm,” Dean grumbled. He took a deep inhale, smelling nothing but the comforting aroma of oak and cinnamon. Without opening his eyes, he sniffed out the point where the scent was the strongest and burrowed deeply into it. He was rewarded with a pleased rumble and a strong arm encircling him as it drew him closer to the source of the scent.

“Good morning, Dean,” Cas's voice rumbled in greeting. The Alpha opened his eyes and smiled down at his mate before pressing a loving kiss to the top of Omega's head.

“Mm. Mornin' Sunshine,” Dean peeked up at his mate from beneath his eyelashes and smiled contentedly.

The two of them snuggled into each other for a few more moments, just enjoying each other's company and presence. The peace didn't last for long, however. Before they were ready, the room's automated lighting system decided to kick in, informing them of their need to rise and start the day. Dean grumbled in offense and Cas signed wearily, but eventually they disentangled themselves from each other's limbs and reluctantly climbed out of bed.

Once they were vertical, the pair decided that a shower would be a great idea, seeing as they were both still covered in their dried and sticky release from the night before. They trudged into their bathroom, still buck naked, and stepped into the shower once Cas had turned it on and gotten it to the optimal temperature.

The two of them took their time lathering each other up, though they weren't trying to get anything started, just exploring each other's bodies. Their curves and edges, all the rough and soft spots. Cas favored alternating between Dean's ass and his belly, where his pups were growing. Dean loved caressing Cas's shoulders and pecs, and he especially loved nuzzling into the Alpha's rough stubbled jaw.

It didn't take long for their light touches and gentle nuzzling to evolve into desperate groping and heated kisses.

“Dean...” Cas growled in a warning tone, “as much as I would love to, we really can't right now.”

“Nmh,” Dean grunted in disapproval. He surged forward, hungrily capturing Cas's lips once more as he reached down and grabbed two large handfuls of Alpha ass and held on tightly in retaliation. It had the added effect of drawing his mate in ever closer, all the better to hold him hostage if need be.

Cas chuckled at the attempted display of dominance from his mate. He quickly regained the upper hand, however, as he swiftly removed the Omegas hands from his rear, pressed the man against the shower wall and forced his hands above his head, pinning them there. One of the Alpha's thighs slotted between Dean's, causing it to rub up against his straining cock. The pinned Omega fought back for a moment but quickly relented control once again.

Cas smiled at having regained the upper hand. He pulled back and looked his mate in the eyes, defiance and reluctant acquiescence etched into every pore. “We. Don't. Have. Time.”

Dean was about to argue once more, but a single raised eyebrow caused the words to die in his throat. He heaved a defeated sigh and huffed out a grumpy, “Fine,” before Cas released him and the two of them finally stepped back out of the shower and toweled off.

Afterward, they went back to their room to discard of their clothes from the previous day, down the laundry chute, and pick some new ones out from their closet.

“So, do you know how long you're gonna be gone today?” Dean asked and he and Cas each started pulling on their respective uniforms.

“Not exactly. It really just depends on how many tasks they give me and how long it takes for me to complete each one. If all goes well I should be back around the same time as I was yesterday.”

Dean nodded and sighed, looking away from his mate as he finished pulling on his trousers.

Cas finished pulling on his own clothes and slowly made his way over to the other man's side. Dean finally pulled his shirt on over his head, the wide collar showcasing his still-healing mating bite and the fresh bruises his mate gave him the night before. The Alpha encircled his Omega in his arms and drew him close, pulling him in and nosing against the mark he'd given him.

“Are you okay?” Cas asked against Dean's shoulders.

Dean sighed again as he returned Cas's embrace. “Just... I dunno. I guess everything that happened yesterday is finally startin' to sink in.” Dean seemed to tremble just a bit and his voice hitched in his throat.

Cas pulled Dean in tighter, placing a hand on the back of the Omega's head. He lifted his chin and gently tucked Dean's face into the crook of his neck. “Sniff here, Dean,” Cas said quietly. “It'll help.”

Without a word, Dean did as Cas suggested. He breathed deeply, taking in Cas's unique scent of oak and cinnamon. Immediately, he felt calmed and comforted. His muscles relaxed and his breathing evened out once more. He took a few more greedy breaths before tentatively pulling away with a pinkish tinge to his cheeks. He avoided looking Cas in the face as he attempted to step away from his Alpha.

Cas was having none of that, however, and refused to release his hold. “You did nothing wrong Dean,” the Alpha said as he met Dean's eyes. “You know that, don't you?”

Dean shrugged and looked away, looking unhappy.

Cas grabbed the Omega's chin and made him meet his gaze once again. “Dean,” he said firmly. “ _You_ did _nothing_ wrong! It was wrong for _them_ to put you through that experience. And it was especially wrong for _Alistair_ to goad you the way he did. He was a horrible Alpha and society will be better off without him.”

“Yeah but... he was still a husband and father, Cas.”

“Most of his mates hated him and his children will be better off without his influence,” Cas argued.

Dean still looked like he needed a bit more convincing. He opened his mouth to argue some more, but he was interrupted by a knock on the front door which echoed through the large living area then traveled all the way down the hall to their bedroom. Dean and Cas paused and looked at each other.

Dean shrugged and said, “Well, we _were_ expecting Benny to come back today.”

Cas nodded and finally released Dean from his grip before he headed for the front door, with Dean following closely behind him. The knock sounded again when they were just a few feet away, though a bit more persistently than before.

When Cas reached the front door he unlocked it and swung it open wide. But, instead of Benny, like he and Dean had been expecting, it was Charlie that greeted him.

“Charlie? What're you doin' h- _oof_!” Dean started to say, but then was cut off as Charlie launched herself at him and pressed him into a crushing hug.

Charlie stepped back and went into a mini-tirade, saying, “Oh my goodness, I just heard about what happened! Are you okay? Did he hurt you? I always thought Al was a creeper, I mean he was just the _worst._ He always made everyone uncomfortable, and I'm _so_ sorry you were assigned a unit so close to his. I mean I just can't believe-”

“Charlie, Charlie. _Breathe_!” Dean said with a chuckle. Behind Charlie, Cas was grinning slightly at the Beta female's concern. Dean met Cas's eyes for a moment while Charlie heeded Dean's advice and took a few breaths. “I'm _fine,_ by the way. Al didn't hurt me yesterday. It was just...” Dean trailed off, trying to think of what to tell her without telling too much. Besides, he really didn't want to talk about it again anyway.

Sensing his mate's reluctance, Cas attempted to deflect the line of questioning by asking, “So, Charlie, do you know where Benny is? We were expecting him to drop by today.”

“Oh, um,” Charlie thought for a moment, “I'm not sure. He was already gone when I got up this morning. He may have had an early meeting with Councilman Jody, but I really don't know. Sorry.”

“It's fine. It's just he was supposed to come by and talk to Dean about his community service.”

“Oh, well then, he should be along any moment now,” Charlie answered. “So, are you really okay? Do you know what's gonna happen now?” The small Beta, apparently, would not be deterred.

“Yes, I really am okay. _Really_ ,” Dean answered. “Benny and Jody said I would just have to complete 20 hours of community service. That's actually why he needed to stop by today.”

“20 hours? Really? Wow, that's just the bare minimum! That's great!”Charlie bounced up and down in excitement.

“Yeah, we were lucky,” Cas grinned. “Benny and Jody seem really kind. I can't imagine what we would've had to go through if they hadn't been so lenient.”

“Oh yeah, definitely!” Charlie agreed, going a bit bug-eyed as she nodded her head. “If you'd been in one of the Alphas' facilities there's no telling what kind of mess you two would be in right now.”

“Well, for starters, you two would most likely be separated,” Benny said in way of announcing his presence. “Then Dean would probably have to be put into isolation, away from the general population to ensure he wouldn't endanger anyone else in the facility.”

“Oh. Hello, Benny.”

“Hey, Benny.”

Cas and Dean each greeted the Beta as he entered through the still-opened door to their home.

“Hey, guys. Hey, Charlie,” the big Beta wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulders and gave her a friendly peck on the temple.

“Hi, Benny,” she said. Charlie leaned into the embrace momentarily, then pulled back as he released her.

Behind Benny, there were four other people who were staring at the assembled group and trying to peer into the apartment curiously. They were two Omegas, an Alpha and a Beta.

“Who are they?” Dean asked.

“This is the cleaning crew that's gonna take care of that mess in your living room,” Benny answered.

“Oh, yes, of course,” Cas said. They all moved aside to give the cleaning crew room to enter the space.

“Isn't blood really hard to clean once it's been sitting for a really long time?”

“Not for us,” one of the Omegas said.

Without another word, they immediately filed inside and got to work. One of them pushed a cart with some strong-smelling chemicals, buckets, scrub brushes and other cleaning supplies that would be needed for the task. Each of them wore surgical masks, rubber gloves, aprons and rubber booties over their shoes, which would be discarded of once their task was completed.

“So, Dean would have been separated from me?” Cas asked, pulling everyone's attention from the small group that was scrubbing the dried blood from the floor. “For how long?”

“Well, the maximum punishment would have been indefinite. Meaning he could've been locked away for the rest of his life.”

“But I'm... I'm _pregnant_ ,” Dean insisted. It was still hard for him to say it, but he was beginning to accept his condition more and more.

“Yeah,” Benny agreed. “In your situation, your pups would have been taken from you soon after they were born, then given to Castiel and his new mate to raise.”

“New mate?!” Dean and Cas said together, each with equal amounts of disdain at the very idea.

“Yep. New mate. Since Castiel is still a healthy Alpha, if you were locked away for life, then he woulda been assigned a new mate, ASAP.”

“Fuck! I am so glad we live _here!”_ Dean exclaimed.

Everyone nodded in agreement. They all fell into silence for a moment, contemplating what-might-have-been and appreciating what _is._

“Well,” Benny said, clapping his hands in front of himself and breaking the tension, “let's get this show on the road, shall we?”

“Uh, yeah. Sure,” Dean shook himself out of his reverie and focused on the Beta male. “What do I need to do?”

“Just stand there, is all,” Benny instructed as he fished in his pockets for something, “and push up your sleeve so I can get at that implant.”

Dean did as instructed and pulled his sleeve up, exposing the three pale, vertical dots glowing faintly just beneath his skin. After a moment, Benny finally found what he was looking for in one of his pockets. It was a subdermal scanner (SDS) which was similar to the one used by Doctor Rufus during Dean's appointment. Benny turned it on and it lit up, then he passed it over Dean's exposed arm. The SDS beeped, indicating that it had read the implant, then Benny pressed a few buttons on the interface.

It didn't take long for Benny to look back up from his task and address Dean once again. “Okay, you're all set, brutha.”

“Alright,” Dean said, tugging his sleeve back into place, “what do I do now?”

“Well, I've given you a service schedule that you'll need to follow. You can access it on your home monitor at any time. Or there are plenty of other stations around the facility that you can use to access your schedule if need be. It'll tell ya where to go, when and for how long.”

“Alright, cool,” Dean said, nodding.

“I don't really know what your schedule is,” Benny explained, “I just assigned a random service timetable for pregnant Omegas. So while the work may not be pleasant, it won't be too strenuous.”

“Thank you!” Cas voiced his gratitude for he forethought. “It's greatly appreciated, Benny. Really.” The Alpha reached forward and shook the Beta male's hand heartily. He really was appreciative of everything Benny had done for them, especially seeing as the alternative could have been having to lose Dean forever. The fact that the man also had the well-being of their pups in mind just added to the gratitude the Alpha felt.

“It's no problem, really,” Benny grinned and bobbed his head modestly. When Castiel finally released his hand he said, “Well, I need to be headin' off. I've got a meetin' with Jody to get to. You guys 'bout done?” He shouted back to the cleaning crew.

“Yes, sir. Just finishing up now,” the Alpha of the group shouted in response.

“Wow, already?” Dean asked, astonished. He took a few steps back into the living area, and sure enough, the space was spotless. There wasn't a speck of blood to be seen anywhere. Even the scent of Alistair's smoky pheromones had vacated the premises. It seemed they may not need a new couch after all. It appeared the small crew had been quite busy during their conversation. “Whoa!”

“That's quite impressive,” Cas commented.

“Oh yeah,” Charlie said, “a good crew with the proper supplies can get any job done in a flash.”

“Yeah, apparently,” Dean huffed in astonishment. Cas nodded in agreement next to him.

“Well, we'll get outta your hair now,” Benny said. The cleaning crew packed up all of their gear and tossed all of their soiled rags, gloves, booties and other cleaning paraphernalia into bags to be disposed of and were quickly ready to follow Benny back out of the apartment. “You too, Charlie.”

“Oh... alright,” Charlie grumbled in disappointment and annoyance. She had wanted to stay and chat some more, but apparently, that would have to wait.

“Thanks so much, guys,” Dean said again. “We really appreciate all of this.”

“It's no problem,” Benny answered. “You guys take care. And be sure to check your schedule, Dean,” he added.

“Sure thing.”

“I'll see you guys around,” Charlie said as she followed Benny and the cleaning crew out of the door. “And I still wanna catch that lecture with you, Castiel.”

“I'm looking forward to it.” Cas closed the door as the last of the group left and heaved a sigh of relief. “Well, I'm glad that's all over with. Hopefully our lives can return to normal now that all of the formalities have been handled.”

“Yeah,” Dean agreed. “But I guess I should check my schedule now, huh?”

“That would be wise,” Cas nodded. He followed Dean back into the living room where the Omega logged in and checked what his days were going to look like for a while.

After navigating through the options, Dean successfully pulled up his schedule. Where before it had been completely blank since he still hadn't received a job assignment – and possibly wouldn't get one until his community service had been completed – now his schedule was partially filled. For the next 5 days, Tuesday through Saturday, 4 hours per day. Each day had him assigned to a different department.

“Hm,” Dean said thoughtfully. “Looks like my service starts today. Today's Tuesday, right?” He asked over his shoulder.

“That's right.”

“Right, so today I'll need to go to one of the dining halls and speak with a woman named Ellen. She'll be giving me my assignment for the day.”

“When do you need to be there?”

“In about an hour.”

“Oh,” Cas said a bit disappointedly. “I was hoping I could walk you over there, but I need to be at the hospital before then.”

“It's alright, Cas. I can manage.”

“Yeah, alright,” Cas huffed. He still wasn't happy about not being able to walk Dean to his first day of community service. He'd been looking forward to it for some reason, though he wasn't completely sure why. “Well,” he sighed, “I guess I need to get going now so I'm not late for my own duties.”

Dean stepped forward and wrapped his arms around the Alpha's neck and drew him in for a lengthy good-bye kiss. Cas returned the gesture without hesitation but quickly had to thwart his mate's attempts at deepening the kiss lest they both be late. The Alpha disentangled himself from Dean's grasp for the second time that day, much to the Omega's disapproval, and made a hasty retreat.

“I'll see you later, Dean.” He licked his lips, still tasting his mate's mouth against his own.

“Yeah, okay. See ya, Cas.” Dean smirked to himself when he saw Cas's tongue darting from inside his mouth. He'd most definitely have to give his mate something _else_ to taste later.

 


	15. Chapter 15

“Heya, Jody,” Benny greeted the other Beta once he was back inside the private conference room.

“Hey, it's about time you got here. Everything go okay?” Jody stood from her position at the conference table where she'd been waiting for him.

“Yep,” Benny walked over and stopped when he stood next to her. “I took care of everything I needed to do this morning, including gettin' Dean setup with his community service.”

“Good,” Jody nodded her approval. “So, should we get started?”

“Sure thing. Lemme just open 'er back up and we can get goin'.”

Benny turned and made his way over to the space behind the bar. Just like before, he reached underneath the bar and let the fingerprint scanner scan his finger. Once the beep sounded, the hidden panel in the bar slid open and he quickly punched in the code that once again opened the wall behind him. The mirror and shelves slid to open and the lit passageway was revealed once more.

“Shall we?” Benny asked, grinning at Jody. He swept his arm in front of him in a grand gesture. “Ladies first, my dear.”

The Beta female smirked and rolled her eyes at the playfulness and marched forward into the opening without a word. Benny followed a few feet behind her, pausing only to press the red button on the wall, closing the entryway and erasing all evidence of their route of departure. If anyone entered the conference room looking for them, nothing would appear out of place. The mirrored and shelved wall behind the bar would be whole and the bar itself would be smooth and creaseless, as if nothing were ever amiss.

They walked down the winding, cement staircase side-by-side, not stopping until they reached the bottom. It let out into a wide hallway that ran left and right. A series of doors, some opened and some closed, lined the bare, utilitarian walls.

“Where do we go?” Jody asked.

“This way,” Benny answered, jutting his head to the right and heading off in that direction.

Jody followed him without question, though she was still quite curious. They walked in silence for a minute or two, then Jody suddenly paused and opened a random door to her right, just to see what was inside. It was a bedroom, sparse yet functional. There was a twin sized bed on a metal frame, a desk with a wooden chair and a single, empty shelf on the wall above the desk, large enough to fit maybe 6 books and a few knick-knacks. Jody stepped back and closed the door, then looked at Benny, one eyebrow raised in question.

Benny, who had paused his trek when his colleague gave in to her curiosity, grinned at her and said, “I was wonderin' when you'd do that. Just couldn't resist, huh?”

“Well,” she huffed, “you aren't exactly being forthcoming with the details, Mister. So spill! What is this place?” She crossed her arms and pinned him with a withering glare.

Benny chuckled and said, “It's sort of a... a panic room?” He searched for the right words to describe it, his eyebrows knit together.

“Kinda big for a panic room, dontchya think?”

“Well... a panic bunker.” He continued his trek down the hall.

“What on Earth do you need a panic _bunker_ for?” Jody asked as she caught up with Benny. “We're basically _in_ a panic bunker. As a matter of fact, that's pretty much what bunkers a _for_ : panicking!”

“I know, it's just-” he paused, once again looking for the right words to describe his thoughts. “I dunno, I just wanted to have a contingency. In case things went sideways, that's all.”

“In case things went sideways?”

“Yep. Safety net.”

“Right. So... how big is this place?”

“Well. There's 12 private bedrooms plus a communal living space; 3 communal bathrooms; a fitness/entertainment space; kitchen and food storage – enough to last a few years; and a surveillance room. Among other things. There are also a couple of side entrances, in case the main entrance is compromised and we need to escape the bunker for some reason.”

Jody let out a low whistle. “That's a lot of extra space. And a lot of extra forethought.” Benny nodded. “What's with all the living space, anyway? Were you planning on getting others down here?”

“Yeah. If I could. I mean, I don't know what could happen, but I just wanted to be prepared, y'know? If we were ever in a position where I _needed_ to get people to safety, then I could. And I know I wouldn't be able to save _everyone_ , but some is better than none.”

“That's true.” They were silent for a beat, then Jody said, “So, I'm assuming we're heading for this surveillance room of yours?”

“Uh-huh,” he grinned and looked at her from the corner of his eye. “Wait 'til you see.”

“I can't wait.”

They passed more bedrooms and one of the bathrooms on the way. Jody was even able to poke her head into the fitness area. There were a few workout machines scattered about, some for weightlifting, some for endurance. In the back, there was a ping-pong table, a Foosball table and a small, round table surrounded by chairs. Against the wall, there was a tall shelf with an assortment of board games and a few decks of cards.

Curiosity sated, for the moment anyway, Jody continued following Benny through the bunker. Before long, they came upon a set of steel double doors. There was a hand scanner to the left and a small, black sphere jutting out of the wall above it. Benny approached and placed his left hand on the scanner. While the mechanism worked, he leaned forward and the sphere came to life. It emitted a blue beam of light that skimmed over Benny's left eye.

“Palm _and_ retinal scanners, Benny? Really. Paranoid much?” Jody snickered.

There was a satisfying _ding_ somewhere, followed by the sound of latches unlocking before the doors swung open.

“Hey, can't be too careful,” Benny answered, blinking away the stars from behind his eye. Once his vision cleared, he stepped into the newly-opened space with Jody close behind him. Once they were clear of the doorway, it swung shut once again and the locks could be heard falling back into place with a _snick_.

Inside there were charts, maps and graphs. Jody's eyebrows shot to her hairline as a frenzy of monitors and other equipment whirred to life when they entered. “So,” she said, turning her gaze to her companion, “where should we start?”

 

~*~*~*~

 

“I'm Ellen. You must be Dean,” the Alpha female introduced herself. She took Dean's hand and gave it a hearty shake before releasing him. Her eyes skimmed over his collarbone where Cas had marked him, multiple times, then she tactfully averted her gaze.

“Uh, yep. That's me,” he was slightly embarrassed, but he didn't regret the marks one bit. However, he was still grateful that she didn't make a big deal out of it. She smelled of rain and fresh-cut grass and he immediately took a liking to her.

“Great. Follow me.”

The woman walked off, not waiting to see if Dean followed. Each one was run by a different member of the community, and this one was Ellen's. It was similar to the one closer to his and Cas's housing unit: chairs surrounding rounded tables and a buffet-style layout for people to collect their own food as desired. She led him through the area to a set of doors in the back, which opened up into the kitchen.

On this side of the wall, there was a flurry of motion. Alphas, Omegas and a few Betas scurried about, attending to their own personal tasks. Some were cooking, others were cleaning, and a few were flying past with trays full of food, heading out of the doors that Dean and Ellen had just come through, delivering food to the hungry residents in the dining hall.

“Whoa,” Dean breathed, wide-eyed. “Um, so what d'ya want me to do in here?” He wasn't sure he'd be able to keep up with the buzz of activity and the level of energy everyone seemed to have. Although, if he was required to do so, then he'd muster up the resolve to complete whatever tasks were assigned to him.

“First, ya need to clock in. That's over here.” She pointed to a wall where a digital clock was hanging, situated between a door and a window, both of which looked into an office. Dean assumed the office belonged to Ellen, which he guessed made sense, seeing as she was pretty much the boss around here. “Hold your arm in front of that clock,” Ellen instructed.

Dean raised his sleeve and did as he was told, and promptly got a smack to the back of the head for his trouble. “Ow!” he complained, though she hadn't hit him hard. “What?”

“Not _that_ arm, boy. The one with the implant.”

“Oh,” Dean said sheepishly. He raised the correct arm to the clock face and a blue light immediately illuminated his arm. A positive beep sounded form the clock and his name momentarily replaced the time, before fading back to its original display. “That's it?”

“Yep. That's it. When you start a new day of work, either here or any other occupational designation, you'll need to find a clock like this to sign in for the day. Then, when you're done, let it scan your arm again in order to clock out. Got it?”

“Got it.” Dean gave a curt nod.

“Good. Now, it's 11 o'clock. I only have ya 'til 3 pm. So let's get to work. Follow me.”

“Yes, ma'am,” Dean said and followed behind the Alpha without complaint.

“By the way,” she stopped in her tracks and turned back around to face Dean once again. “Ya did a good thing.” Dean's brow knit in confusion, but then she continued, “Alistair was a bane. He was horrible to his Omegas, even the ones who liked him. He was the worst kind of influence on his children, and we are _all_ better off without him. Ya hear?”

Dean was going to argue, but there was a look of sincerity, mixed with a 'don't-you-dare-argue-with-me-boy' expression on her face, and all Dean could say was, “Yes, ma'am,” once more, this time with equal gravity as his gaze found the floor. He didn't feel like he deserved her kindness.

“Alright, then,” she said with finality. “Let's get movin'.”

 

~*~*~*~

 

After four hours of the worse kind of kitchen work imaginable, Dean was re-thinking the whole 'liking Ellen' thing. He had degreased the grills and the range hoods (seriously, how does grease even get _up_ there?). He'd mopped the floors and washed dishes, and by the end of his time, he was ready to just go home and take a long and much-needed shower to wash away the grime and sweat from the day.

Back in front of the clock by Ellen's office, Dean held up his arm so that the clock's face could scan him once again and log him out. He was happily sauntering out when he heard a commanding voice behind him.

“Dean! Where are you goin'?”

“Umm... home?” He turned around and saw Ellen exiting her office.

She leaned one shoulder against the doorframe and twisted her neck to get a good look at the clock next to her. “By my reckoning, you've still got a minute and 30 seconds left with me.”

“Oh, come on!” Dean scoffed. “You can't keep me for _that_!”

“Can and will,” she shot back. “Now I want you to go down to the storage unit and get one of those big jars of pickles and bring 'em back up here for Joel to cut up. _Then_ you can go.”

“But-”

“Now,” she said, cutting him off and shooing him in the right direction with her hands.

Dean groaned, but still did as he was told. The kitchen's storage unit was on a completely different floor, so of course, it was gonna take him longer than his designated time to finish the new task. Frustrated, he trudged to the back of the kitchen, in the opposite direction he had been heading in order to leave.

He passed by Ellen as she reentered her office, and he made his way to the storage unit. At the back of the kitchen, there was a small hallway that led down to a freight elevator. He'd had to come down with another member of the kitchen staff earlier to fetch some more supplies, so he knew how to work it this time.

There was a metal cart sitting in the hall across from the elevator, so once it was opened he wheeled the thing into the space ahead of him. He wasn't sure how big the jar of pickles was, and he didn't want to work any harder than he had to, so the cart would come in handy. Once inside, he pushed the button for the doors to close, then the next button had the elevator whirring to life and carrying him down to the next level.

The elevator stopped on the floor to the storage unit and opened up for him to exit. He pushed the cart out in front of him, then turn and pressed the button for the doors to close. Then pushed the cart up and down the aisles looking for the row with the damn pickles.

The storage unit for the kitchen was actually more like a small warehouse, with rows and rows of supplies on ceiling-high shelves. The ceilings weren't too tall, though – just over 10ft. Dean remembered seeing jars of preserved foods last time he was down there. He figured the pickles would be there, but he couldn't remember exactly _where_ he saw them.

He was beginning to get even more frustrated than before. He was tired and sweaty from the day and he just wanted it to be over. He was just about to give up and go tell Ellen to shove it – then immediately retreat from her wrath – when he finally stumbled upon the correct aisle.

“Finally,” he muttered to himself. He wheeled the cart over to the shelves that housed the pickles. There were an assortment of jars, all in different sizes with different seasonings packed in with the lumpy, green logs. He didn't know what the difference was in the seasonings, so he didn't think it mattered. Ellen had only said 'one of those big jars', so that's what he was gonna grab.

The shelf with the big jars was slightly overhead, so he reached up and grabbed one by the sides. It was only about 10 lbs, not too heavy, but it was awkward trying to get a proper hold on it. Honestly, why did they put such huge jars on such high shelves? Whatever. He just needed to get it _down_.

He struggled with the cumbersome item for a few more moments, then finally got it off of the shelf.

Only to have it slip from his hands...

And smash to pieces on the tiled floor below.

The sound of shattering glass was soon followed by Dean's long and low groan of frustration.

“Shit!” he cursed aloud. “I can't _believe_ this!” He heaved a heavy sigh, dropping his head back and closing his eyes as he took in a few calming breaths. When he had calmed down enough, he got back to work.

The first thing he had to do was find a mop to clean up all of that juice, and a bucket to drop the pickles in to. He wasn't sure what the procedure for this would be; do they have the resources to afford throwing away such a large amount of food product? Or would they just rinse them off really well and use them anyway? He'd have to clean them up and then ask Ellen about them, and bring up a fresh jar too, just in case. It was just a good thing he had the forethought to bring the cart with him.

He wandered down the aisles once again in search of a janitor's closet. Once he found one, he grabbed a mop and a wheeled bucket. He then filled the bucket with water from the conveniently-placed industrial sink with a hose attachment and added some cleaning liquid to it. He then grabbed an extra bucket that looked pretty clean for holding pickles. At the last minute, he grabbed a rag, just in case, and shoved it halfway into his back pocket, then headed back out to where he'd left his mess.

Grumbling to himself about his own clumsiness and ill-placed jars of smelly liquids, Dean quickly set to work cleaning up the vinegary mess. While he'd been gone, the damnable puddle had spread and oozed to encompass and even larger surface area than before. The pickles themselves had remained in a pretty localized area, so he picked those up first, careful not to step in the juice and spread it around any more that it already had.

Once that was done, he just needed to clean up the liquid and he'd be done. He grabbed the mop and used the little reservoir on the wheeled bucket to squeeze out most of the water, then slapped it down on the floor, soaking up the pickle juice. Once it was sopping wet once more, he repeated the process.

He was getting lost in the monotony of the task when he noticed something odd. In one place, where the liquid should have kept going, it stopped. Just stopped in mid-trek as if it disappeared between the tiles. He mopped the pickle juice away from the edge of the tile where it had stopped, and leaned down to get a better look. It didn't seem out of the ordinary. Just a regular tile among hundreds of others that looked just like it. But _this_ one seemed to have absorbed part of the mess he'd made.

He should just ignore it. It's none of his business what that's all about. He just needed to finish cleaning up and _carefully_ grab another pickle jar to take back upstairs. He stood back up and quickly finished mopping up the rest of the juice. He put the mop and bucket back in the janitor's closet then went back to the aisle where he'd left the cart and the other bucket full of pickles.

Carefully, very carefully, he got a second jar from the shelf and put it on the cart with the bucket. He started wheeling his way back to the freight elevator, trying to put the weird tile out of his mind. He had made it halfway back when he stopped in his tracks. “Dammit,” he grumbled. He left the cart where it was, turned on his heel and jogged back to the aisle he'd just left.

Dean quickly located the strange tile he'd found and crouched down in front of it, trying to study it and find out what made it different from the others. Using his fingertips, he felt around the edges going up and down each of the four sides. After a few moments, he felt like he might be able to lift it from the floor if only he had a bit more leverage.

Huffing in annoyance, he stood up once more and jogged back to the janitor's closet. He rummaged around on the shelves and moved stuff around on the floor until he found what he was looking for. There was a cardboard box filled with discarded rags and empty bottles of cleaning supplies, but at the very bottom was a small collection of tools. A couple of screwdrivers, one Philips head and one flat head, and a pair of pliers.

He swiped up the flat head screwdriver and raced back down the aisles to the mystery tile. Once there, Dean crouched down once again and wedged beneath the tile and tried to pry it up. But it wouldn't budge. Refusing to give up, he tried the opposite side, and with very little effort, it popped right up, swinging open on a well-oiled hinge.

“Whoa,” Dean breathed. Beneath the tile, there was a digital display screen that was going haywire. It was covered in pickle juice and it was randomly flashing a sequence of numbers and letters. “Crap!” Dean really hoped he wouldn't get into any _more_ trouble for messing up some expensive-looking doohickey.

He quickly snatched the rag he'd grabbed earlier from his back pocket and used it to swipe up the smelly liquid. Once it was clear of the mess, the lights stopped flashing. The screen fritzed one last time, then went completely dark.

“Dammit!” He cursed again. Was it supposed to be like that? Or were some of the lights supposed to remain lit? He didn't know. Anxious about having to face Ellen's wrath, he shoved the rag back into his pocket, then reached in and gingerly ran his fingers over the darkened display, hoping maybe he could fix it. Somehow. He had a screwdriver, after all!

As soon as he touched the surface of the display, he immediately yelped and jumped back. The display had chosen that exact moment to move. It slide to the right and opened to reveal a darkened passageway leading down. Dean cautiously leaned over the edge to get a better peek at what lied beneath. As he looked, lights suddenly sprang to life, illuminating the space for him to clearly see. There was a series of rungs that clung to the wall of a tunnel that went straight down about 15 or 20 feet. Who know what could be down there.

Maybe he should take a quick look?

“No! What the hell?” He shook himself and berated the demented little psycho who lived in his head, giving him stupid ideas like that. Ellen would probably kill him if he went wandering off where he didn't belong.

Unless she didn't even know it was there.

It was a secret passageway.

In a secret underground facility.

If that didn't just _scream_ 'explore me' Dean didn't know what did.

His mind made up, Dean pocketed the screwdriver he'd dropped, and sat down on the edge of the opening with his legs dangling over the side. He reached down with one foot until the sole of his shoe caught on the top of the highest rung. He tentatively lowered himself down into the illuminated hole and careful started to climb down.

He soon realized his mistake, however. As soon as his head was clear of the opening, the tile swung closed, followed immediately by the display sliding back into place with a resonating _thunk_.

He panicked. He shouted in alarm and banged on the panel, trying to get it to open once more, but it was no use. It wouldn't budge. He grabbed the screwdriver out of his pocket and tried wedging it between the panel and the edge of the opening, but there was an airtight seal around it, and the tool simply wouldn't fit.

“Well, _shit_!” He dropped his head down and rested it on one the higher rungs. The cool metal soothed away some of the heat in his face, calming him a bit so he could think. There was apparently no way to get back out the way he'd came, so the only other option would be to keep going down and hope there was an exit somewhere down there. _Hope_ being the optimal word.

With nothing else to do, he continued his decent into the secret passage that he just _had_ to explore. He was gonna be kicking himself for ages because of this blunder.

After a few moments, Dean finally reached the bottom and got a good look around himself. He was in a hallway. There were doors lining the walls on either side in both directions. Which way should he go? With no better options, he decided to go left. He'd try that way for a while, and if he didn't find anything that promised a way out, then he'd backtrack and try the other way.

He walked for just a few minutes by the time he'd reached the end of the hall. Flipping a mental coin, he decided to go left again and continued on his way.

He'd traveled a few more minutes, not seeing anything of real interest. He poked his head into a few doors, finding nothing but a few sparse bedrooms, but nothing that promised a way out. Well, at least he was exploring, just like he'd wanted to, right?

Yeah. Right.

Just when he was about to give up and head back the way he'd came, he started hearing voices up ahead. His first instinct was to hide, his heart rate sped up a few notches and he could feel the organ persistently clawing its way up his throat. He was caught! He should definitely hide!

But no! He stopped himself halfway to another random door. What was he thinking? Whoever it was could help him get out. He'd face the consequences of his actions and take whatever punishments were coming his way. The only thing he had to fear was being taken away from Cas. And exploring a secret passage without permission couldn't possibly be bad enough to warrant _that_. Could it?

He was just starting to panic again at the prospect of being ripped away from his mate and he was reconsidering his decision to hide, but then his train of thought was shattered by a voice calling his name.

“Dean?! What the hell are ya doin' down here?”

Dean turned and faced the source of the voice. “Oh... heya, Benny. You uh- you wouldn't mind tellin' me how to get outta here, would ya?”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, I feel I should mention that I will not be able to get any photos of the Alpha, Beta and Omega uniforms for you guys. As I mentioned before, it was my father who had agreed to draw the pictures for me, but he's a bit too busy now with his new job. I apologize for any disappointments this may cause.


End file.
